Konoha High: Differences
by moedeity
Summary: Hyuuga Neji, the black-belter champ, and Ten-Ten the tomboyish rock-climber: in detention. 3 months, 1 boy, 1 girl, 1 huge house. In High School, nothing is ever easy. Let the battle begin!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** After reading this last night, I realized how poorly I've written this years back and decided to revise to make it easier for you guys to read. M Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 1

Konoha High school is well known as a school for very gifted students. Most of them composed of talented and feisty young girls and boys, but none is as noisy as Uzumaki Naruto.

"Hey! Hey! When am I gon' be first string?" Naruto asked Kiba, a second string player at the game of soccer. The handsome black haired junior student looked at him with his dark, cat like eyes and laughed.

"I'm better than you and I'm also in second string! How do you expect to be in first string if you're such a loser?" he answered sarcastically. Naruto, the blonde with blue eyes glared at him darkly, obviously not taking the insult lightly.

"Well look whose calling a kettle black! You're also in second string! That also makes you a loser!" he said.

"Hey…" the male relaxed, leaning back on his chair with his hands cupping the back of his head, "At least the coach is thinking about moving me into first string, but you are just hopeless…" Kiba said suppressing his anger with a snort. Naruto kept quiet as they sat in their proper seats, side by side in their class room. Just then, a pink haired girl entered and her emerald eyes fell on Naruto for a mere second before she had decided to look away. The female sat on the first row away from Naruto and Kiba who were seated on the fourth row near the window just in case they wanted to escape class and run off.

Kiba looked at Naruto and laughed, snorting in the process.

"Dude, you have no chance with Sakura… Apparently, she hates you…" Kiba said, nudging him on the shoulder with his hand. Naruto had his eyes fixed on the pink haired girl who seemed to be busy with school work.

"Yeah?" said Naruto as he looked back on Kiba. The sharp eyed male could only stare at the blonde before giving a knowing grin.

"I have a funny feeling your thinking of doing what I think your ganna do." he said. Naruto grinned at him and Kiba rested his chin on his cupped hand.

"A yen says you're ganna get your face fucked up by Sakura…" he said holding a yen in his hand. Naruto laughed raking his hair.

"I'll take that bet…" he said and they both shook hands.

"This is ganna be interesting…" Kiba said.

"Watch and learn…" he said as he raised from his seat. Boldly, and ever so confidently did Naruto walk towards the pink haired girl with both his hands and legs swinging in unison. Kiba's eyes followed the blonde as he sat next to the female who cleared his throat, and commenced his first attempt for today.

"Good morning my beautiful cherry blossom. . ." Naruto started. Sakura spared not a glance at the male.

"My morning would be good if you would stop talking to me." She simply said. Naruto forced a laugh.

"Did anybody ever tell you that you're funny, cause you are…" he said, trying his best to win her over.

"What's funnier is that you're still talking to me…" said Sakura with a sigh.

"Awe come on… Why so grumpy? Maybe you just need me to lighten you up a bit." said Naruto. Sakura stopped writing and turned to him, with a smile.

"You're right…or maybe I just want you to EVAPORATE!" she said yelling out her last word. Naruto looked at her with his blue eyes, still calm.

He looked over at Kiba and gave him a thumbs-up. Kiba on the other hand was stifling a laugh and gave him a shaky thumbs-up back before the blonde turned his attention to the pink haired female.

"So Sakura-chan. Wanna go out today? You know… For a little fun. You can come and wait for me at the field later at soccer practice. Or maybe, you can watch me bathe the sweet sweat away, what do you say?" he said. Sakura's ears fletched at his words and gave him a look and before a hand slapped him on the face like a hot pan. Naruto looked at her with shock, feeling his cheeks with a hand, fortunately they were still intact. Kiba laughed harder than ever across the room and Sakura looked down on him as she picked up her stuff.

"Get a life, loser!" she told him and stormed off the class room.

Naruto, after his recovery from the slap, got up from the seat and walked towards the teary eyed Kiba.

"Oh I watched… and I learned… that not only are you slow in the field but you are a total clueless, tactless and obnoxious guy when it comes to girls…" he told Naruto as he had taken his seat beside his dark haired friend, "Give me my yen man, I needed extra money…" the still laughing Kiba said with his hand extended to collect his spoils. The defeated Naruto took out his green frog wallet and handed him a yen.

"You know sometimes I wonder if she really is a girl…" Naruto murmured.

* * *

Moment's passed and they heard the doors open. Shikamaru, a lazy droopy eyed junior stepped in with his brown bag. The moment he saw the two, he smiled.

"Hey Naruto, Kiba…" he gave them a greeting before throwing his bag on top of his desk and his eyes fell upon the blondes reddened face.

"Whoa…" was his surprised remark, "What happened to your face, Naruto? Practice getting on you?"

"It's the funniest thing, Naruto-!"

"It was nothing…" the blonde said, cutting off the black haired boy next to him by covering his mouth with his free hand. Shikamaru looked at them both before looking at Naruto closely.

"Sakura slapped you again didn't she?" Shikamaru asked as he leaned back on his chair, folding his arms over his chest in confidence of his little guess. Kiba broke loose from Naruto's grip and instantly yelled out:

"JACKPOT-O! You should've been here, it was hilarious!"

Naruto looked at Kiba with angry blue eyes.

"Thank you for humiliating me, you ass…"

Shikamaru could only click his tongue.

"You're so troublesome you know that?" he said with a sigh.

"We'll see…. Someday, she won't resist me and she'll be begging me to take her to homecoming. I _will_ have the last laugh." Naruto said, his eyes glittering in the morning sun. Kiba and Shikamaru exchanged glances, both with different reactions: Kiba started laughing again and Shikamaru just gave a made himself more comfortable in his seat right behind Kiba.

"About the dance… who are you planning to ask out?" the feline faced male asked Shikamaru.

"I'm working on mine…" Naruto said, massaging his left cheek.

"Yeah… You're not doing any progress, if you haven't noticed." Kiba told the blonde. Naruto found it fit to remain quiet.

"What about you, Mr. Troublesome?" Kiba asked. For a moment, Shikamaru seemed to be confused with the question as he looked at the two of them.

"Just thinking about it makes me sick to my stomach, I'm not going… It's too troublesome…" he finally said.

"Typical…" was Kiba's comment. He knew Shikamaru too well to ever be taken by surprise.

"What about you?" Naruto asked Kiba as he nodded at his direction. The dark haired male looked at Naruto with his intertwined hands behind his head.

"I was thinking…." Kiba begun before Shikamaru interjected:

"Hinata?"

"You can't be thinking of taking her out coz'-!" Kiba seemed to be threatened by this realization. Shikamaru scoffed.

"Calm down…Course' not… I did tell you I'm not going…" he said, cutting his eyes at the man in front of him.

"Oh... In that case, I'm taking her to the dance." Kiba said, a devilish grin on his face. Naruto snorted a laugh before leaning over at the window.

"Are you forgetting something here?" he asked the enthusiastic kiba.

"What's that?" he asked the blonde.

"The creepy, overprotective, black belted, first cousin of hers. He'll squeeze you dry before you can even say a word." Naruto said. Kiba's face dropped. Just then the doors had opened and immediately Kiba's eyes glistened as he watched a familiar face walk in. Naruto and Shikamaru looked at what caught his eye and spotted a cute long haired girl walk in. Just behind her was followed by a handsome, tall, long haired and stern looking male; both were baring vanilla colored eyes.

They marched in and took their seats: The male settling in the second row of the class behind the first seat which was the proper seat of the female he had walked in with. The girl's hair was a shiny blue in color as the sunlight hit it in the right angle. Her skin was fair and her cheek's baring a soft hint of pink. She wore a blue headband and her uniform was properly ironed and primed.

The male, who sat behind her, had straight long brown hair that was pony tailed at the very bottom of his hip length locks. Skin a little sun kissed when compared to the female. He looked like a stern fellow as his eyes followed the lines of the book he had in hand.

They were known as the Hyuuga siblings; _Hinata and Neji._

Naruto glanced over at Kiba.

"Well, whatcha waitin' for? Make your move Casanova…" Naruto said as he waved his hand in front of him, as though he was making way for his friend.

Kiba looked at him then at the blue haired female before he stood up, taking a deep breath in and finally, he moved forward. Just as he had closed in on the girl, the male whom have sat right behind the girl Kiba took interest in, slowly looked up staring daggers at him.

A cold chill ran down his spine and as expected, Kiba chickened out and continued to walk - passing by the girl - completely bailing on his idea, before he had stepped out of the room.

Naruto gave a loud snort before he resulted to silly giggles; a fisted hand over his mouth to stop full on laughter to escape his lips.

A few minutes later, the doors opened and Kiba walked back in, stretching as though he was bored and then exhaled – taking his seat and shrinking in shame. Naruto looked at him, waiting for a word.

"I can do that later… There are two more months before the dance… I can wait…" Kiba said, voice dropping in a whisper.

"Oh my god… he was like so full of himself, he shouldn't even bother talking to me like…ever..ever again… he was such a loser." a female voice echoed. Shikamaru looked up and saw a blonde walk in the room with a pink cell phone plastered on her face. It was the head cheerleader, the girlish girl in the room and the only girl who could talk on the phone all day. She looked at him and he looked away.

"I'll call you later. Bye-bye…" she said passing by Naruto and Kiba and stopping in front of Shikamaru.

"What was your problem yesterday?" she asked, the obvious attitude highly present in her voice high pitched, cheerleading voice. Kiba and Naruto looked at each other, their mouths forming a perfect O before they decided to stay out of it and turned heads to look away.

"I thought you don't want to, and I quote: 'Ever ever wanna talk to you again-ah…' remember?" he asked. The girl with the tight pony tail on top of her head scoffed, flinging her hair to the side.

"I would have never ever said that if you should have never left me alone the other day!"

Shikamaru yawned and kept quiet, making it too obvious that he couldn't care less.

"Argh!" Ino groaned in frustration, "You are a hopeless, clueless, useless, uncaring boyfriend!" she yelled at him slamming her palms on his table. The people inside the classroom looked at the two love birds, quarreling yet – again.

"Say it Ino..."

"Say what?!"

"That it's so over…" he said. The blonde female stepped back, exaggerating a shocked reaction.

"Are you so desperate to break up with me? Is that why you keep treating me like this? Like… I'm absolutely nothing to you?!"

Before Shikamaru could answer, a brunette haired girl with pig tails entered the room carrying a crimson sports bag and a small notebook on her free hand. Her hazel eyes looked over everyone and gave them a happy greeting of a 'Ohayo' before she spotted a growing scene between Ino [who stood with her fist clutched beside her] and Shikamaru who seemed to not want any part of the fight.

"Why? Aren't you ganna throw a party when we do so you can start dating Sai?" Shikamaru asked. Ino opened her mouth in shock.

"WHY YOU-!" she said and raised her fists to him but before she could the brunette ran behind her and held her back.

"Whoa! Whoa! Time out guy's! Calm down!" she told the blonde. Ino was beginning to get teary eyed as the brunette held her back and moved her further away from Shikamaru who now shot her an angry look from across the room. The brunette moved Ino towards Hinata who looked at them both with a frightened expression.

"What's going on here? It's a Monday and its way too early for you guy's to be fighting…" she asked the blonde.

"He started it! That no good-!" Ino started, pointing her well cared for finger at Shikamaru who straightened himself in his seat.

"Oh… I started it. I always do, cause your too perfect to make any mistakes am I right?" Shikamaru said. Ino looked at the brunette, flailing her hands in the air.

"See?! His always trying to pick a fight!" she said. The brunette looked at Shikamaru and at Ino, the back at Shikamaru.

"Listen guy's . . . if there is a problem, why can't you talk about this in a private place and try not to kill each other?" said the brunette.

"You tell her that Ten-Ten; she always comes up at me like a raging buffalo." Shikamaru said.

"Argh! I hate you!" Ino finally groaned in defeat and ran out the room, pushing Ten-Ten out of the way, slamming the door as she left. Ten-Ten lost her balance from shock and fell on the vanilla eyed male whom have caught her with his eyebrows caving in. She looked at him and stood up straight, clutching her bag tightly.

"So-sorry… I uh.. Well – You know girls." she started, stumbling on her words as she shifted from one foot to the other. Her knuckles going white from clutching her bag's strap in shame before she lowered her head and hurriedly walked over to her seat before perking up and turning towards Neji, bowing quickly and adding: "And… Thanks…." He looked away and continued reading his book as if nothing happened.

Shikamaru looked outside the window with a glaring Kiba watching him silently.

"What in the world was _that_?" asked Kiba.

"Dude…" Naruto finally spoke, turning from his seat to look over at Shikamaru, "What happened?"

"Now you know why I'm not going…" Shikamaru told them as Ten-Ten took her seat at the end of Shikamaru and Kiba's row, blushing in her shame.

"You guys can still settle things you know..." she spoke, hanging her bag by the window, "Like always…"

"By then, we'll be in Ripley's believe it or not for the most number of break-up's and comebacks… I'm tired of it ten-ten…it's so-."

"Troublesome?" she interjected, looking at him with her head slanted to the side.

"…Yeah…" Shikamaru said. She shrugged her shoulders.

"Oh…and Ten-Ten… Congratulations… You're still alive after you fell on the ice berg there." Naruto said, leaning towards her and whispering. She looked at him with a frown.

"He may be atrocious, but he won't kill anybody…" she whispered back. Naruto tried not to laugh at her remark and looked at Neji from the row in the middle, then at Hinata. They both looked very laid-back.

"Hey… What is it with their family anyway? Are they really born like that? Quiet and… scary?" Naruto said twisting his lip to the side of his head. Shikamaru shrugged and Kiba looked at Naruto with a raised eyebrow. Ten-ten looked at Naruto with arms folding over her chest.

"The Hyuuga family is the wealthiest folk in town… I guess that's just the way they were raised. They don't talk to commoners, they eat out a silver spoon and well sanitized hands…yadayadayada… you know, rich stuff…" she told him, lowering her voice taking out her note book.

"Oh… And just for the record, Hinata is not scary… she's just, very VERY shy." Ten-ten added pointing her pen at the blonde male. Naruto tried not to laugh, but Ten-Ten did have a point. Even when the Hinata girl talked, it was always so low volume but high pitched, which made her very cute. The door opened again and a bunch of people walked in. The two girls, very familiar: Ino, the blonde, Sakura: The pink haired girl with a bad temper for Naruto.

The others just arrived that morning. One wearing his usual round sun glasses and brown hair, the other was a very huge boy with small eyes with brown hair and a pack of chips on his hand. The other one was a pale looking boy with short black hair and black eyes who always looked so neat with his black long neck uniform and a sketch book always with him no matter where he went. They all took their seats. The black haired boy sat beside Shikamaru. Naruto looked at him.

"Good morning…" the black haired boy said with a smile on his face. Kiba nodded to him.

"So, how was your week end?" Shikamaru asked.

"Not as good as yours." He answered. Kiba looked at Shikamaru with a raised eyebrow.

"What made you say that?" Shikamaru asked. The black haired boy looked at him with a questioning look.

"Ino called me and she sounded so upset. She told me you guy's had an argument again." said the black haired boy. Just then the bigger boy [with a hand clutching his bag of potato chips] approached them.

"Hey Shikamaru… I'm so sorry, I just heard." the fat boy said. He looked at the black haired boy then smiled.

"Hey Sai…" he greeted the black haired boy named Sai. Sai looked at him and smiled back to return the greeting, just after he did, the fat boy looked at Shikamaru.

"So…What are you thinking of now?" he asked.

"She's just a pain Chouji…" Shikamaru told his fat friend. Chouji patted his friend on the back and laughed.

"There are other better looking girls out there anyways, so that's good that you ain't thinking about going back to her… She was always a nagger…" he said then bended as far as he could would his fat belly, then whispered.

"…I never liked her anyways, there was something about her that's so…cold and cruel…" he continued.

Shikamaru laughed as hard as he could that it caught the attention of the blonde and the pink haired girl. Both looked at him with evil glares, Shikamaru just ignored it.

"Your right about that… Ei Ten-Ten…" Shikamaru called the brunette, who looked up from her notes a little confused.

"Eh?"

"Can we go out later? You know, like a date?" Shikamaru said in a joking matter looked at the tan skinned girl with a silly grin. Ten-ten looked up and laughed at him.

"Sure... If you promise to jog with me every morning?" she said with a grin of her own.

"That's too troublesome, I'm not doing it…" Shikamaru said quickly and laughed with her. Ino glared at Ten-Ten and got red on the face.

"Ei Ten-Ten …" said a voice. She looked away from Shikamaru and spotted a round eyed junior with black shiny hair.

"Lee! I didn't see you come in." she said in a cheerful manner. The boy sat beside her and laid his bag on the floor.

"I just wanted to ask about practice later…" he told her. Ten-ten nodded while looking at him.

'Oh here we go…' thought ten-ten.

"Well, I do want to be a black belter…"

"Yeah... Good luck on that…" Shikamaru said. Lee looked at him with angry eyes.

"What? I know I can do it…!" he told him.

"Okay, okay. Before any argument starts here, Shikamaru shut your mouth." Ten-Ten said pointing a finger at the bored faced looking boy in front of her.

"What was that? Something about practice?" she asked Lee.

"Yeah... Can't we train for more than 5 hours at least?" he asked with a tone of passion in his voice and his curled fist raised up in front of him. Ten-ten's eyes widened.

"WHAT?!" she yelled at him with her eyes a perfect shape of saucers.

"ARE YOU CRAZY?" she added. Lee looked at her with pitiful eyes and clasped both hands together as though in prayer.

"Ten-ten… Please…" he begged. Ten-ten hit him in the head with her notebook. It collided with a loud smacking sound.

"What? You wanna kill yourself from over exhaustion?" she asked him with a furious tone.

"But… I thought about it the whole night and I figured it out! I'm only a yellow belter coz' I'm just lacking practice... and I know that If I trained longer-."

"No…" she said cutting him off and turned to her notebook. Lee looked at her with a depressed face.

"And Lee, the school is open only until 8. We already have four good hours of practice… That is good enough."

"But it's still not good enough for me… Not until I can beat that Hyuuga guy..." he said whispering his last sentence so they wouldn't be heard.

"You can't beat him lee. He is the undefeated champion for 3 years in a row." she whispered back.

Lee looked at her.

"How can you say that when you haven't even tried." He asked her, his eyes sparkling.

"I just know okay. Just - try to get out of trouble now and then and I'll think about practice. Oh, and Lee, I can't practice later. I have to climb the rocks again in the gym, but we'll still see each other later since karate and rock climbing practice is held in one place." she said. Lee looked infuriated with what she just told him.

"But...Ten-ten…"  
"Hey, there's still Sir Gai to train with you later… you guys are pretty close..." she told him.

Naruto looked at them both.

"Yeah… Pretty close means, pretty close to losing two eyebrows and gaining one." he said.

"Very funny Naruto, very smoooooth..." Ten-ten said with a forced smile. Shikamaru, Lee and Kiba laughed at Ten-Ten's remark.

Just then the three siblings stepped in: Temari, a dirty blonde chick with hair in four tiny pony tails forming a square at the back of her head and very well known for kicking ass in and out of classes. Her brother's Kankuro: the black haired guy with a square and masculine shaped face who was well known for his puppet mastery and props designing for the theater, and their youngest: Gaara, the red head with a tattoo on the left side of his forehead and has no eyebrows what so ever, junior student was the most feared student on campus, but also happened to be Naruto's close friend.

The three of them took their seats in the side of the class, back to back to back. Temari, the female and the eldest, sat down listening to Sakura and Ino (whom everyone knew she hated), Kankuro was making an origami and Gaara was just sitting still with his blue green eyes lined in black eye-liner. Ten-ten looked at Shikamaru and Shikamaru looked at Temari. Ten-ten laughed.

"What?" Shikamaru asked her when he figured out she was laughing at him.

"Nothing you wanna know…" she said, writing more words down her personal journal. Shikamaru looked at her then at the journal.

"What do you write down there anyway?" he asked trying to look in but was unsuccessful as ten-ten pulled her notebook away from his bored prying eyes.

"None of your business, so just stop bothering me and look keep those bored peepers on Temari." she teased. Shikamaru squinted his eyes.

"I wasn't looking at her I was looking at the wall behind her." he told her looking back at the dirty blonde with his back on the window. Ten-ten flung her hand in front of him as a sign that she didn't want to be bothered.

It was almost bell when a handsome bluish black haired guy entered the class room. Sakura and Ino looked his way with dreamy looks; star struck by his appearance. He had black eyes and he carried his bag with one hand, hanging this behind him. He sat at the very last seat available, behind the Hyuuga male. As he made his way Sakura greeted him a 'good morning' and he just glared at her and grunted in response, making the two females giggle.

Lee was looking at the handsome male and stood up. Ten-ten looked up at him and watched as he slowly made his way not to the one who entered but, at Neji. The brown haired female shifted in her seat, whimpering a 'Stop!' over at Lee and looked around. Knowing Lee, she just had a terrible vision of humiliation for her friend. Lee faked a cough making the male look up at Lee with a raised eyebrow.

"I challenge you to a duel…" Lee said. The male looked at him with a raised eyebrow. Ten-Ten slapped both her hands on her face with a loud smacking sound.

"I'm sorry, but I only duel with worthy people. Maybe when you're good enough, I'll take that challenge." he told lee coldly. Lee with squinted eyes looked at him. The Hyuuga male continued reading his book and ignored the standing lee. Lee coughed again, this time annoying Neji, making him close his book as he turned his head to look back at Lee.

"Please, accept my challenge...I beg you." he said, this time bowing his head.

"You can beg better than that." he told lee. Lee gave the purple eyed male a shocked look.

"Yellow belter." Neji started, "You're all the same, that's all your good at: Begging. So go ahead, beg. Go on your knees and beg me to take your challenge" Neji told him with squinted eyes. Ten-ten looked at him in shock. How dare he talk to Lee like that!

Before Lee could get down to his knees as the Hyuuga male had asked, Ten-Ten jumped in, grabbing her friend by the arm and pulling him back up.

"No Lee. Don't you dare kneel in front of this stuck up arrogant rich boy who only cares about his belt but abuses his position by treating others like low-down filth." she said looking at the male straight in the eye. Sakura and Ino's eyes widened from what she just said. The male looked at her in shock.

"…Excuse me?" he asked. Ten-ten folded her arms in front of her and stood up straight.

"You heard me. How can talk to Lee like that? With the money you have, you could afford to buy some manners!" she told him, pushing Lee aside. Neji chuckled, running a thumb over his fine lined lips and standing from where he sat.

Hinata looked behind her, watching the two nervously. Shikamaru, Naruto and Kiba sat still – exchanging glances. If Neji was to attack her – even hit her or try to, the 3 would jump in.

"I'm sorry, am I the one who just interjected a conversation between two men?" he said, with a wicked smile on his face.

"Whatever." she spat, taking Lee by the arm to walk away, "Come on lee let's go."

Neji laughed.

"Little girls afraid of getting her pride hurt. Typical." he said as she marched off. She stopped the moment she heard him speak and took a sharp turn to look at him.

"Excuse me, but I'm not the one who can't swallow his pride because his afraid he might choke on it."

Neji turned to face her.

"Little girl, if you weren't a female, I would have kicked your ass the moment you interposed the conversation between me and that yellow-belter." said Neji as he looked at her furiously.

She gave him a bright smile, mocking his anger.

"Oh… Maybe you're just afraid I'd kick your ass. Imagine how humiliating that would be when the whole school finds out you got beat by a female brown belter." this time the class was beginning to feel the tension between Ten-Ten and Neji.

"Oh... So you're a low-class brown belter?"

"And you're a over-pampered black-belter?" she snapped back. She could see she was getting him fired up. The two of them looked at each other with nothing but disgust, hatred and both standing completely still. Just then the bell rang making them both blink.

Just then, a teacher entered. He was a long haired, heavy built male with a wart on his nose.

"Good morning class!" he greeted them with a broad smile, "Whoa… What's this?" he said as he looked at Ten-Ten and Neji standing in the middle of the room.

"Has the world gone mad or was cupid just here a moment ago?" he teased, making the whole class burst in laughter.

"No sir, you're looking at world war three at its boiling point…" said Temari with a serious face.

Neji's face softened and looked over at Ten-Ten who blinked a couple of times, lowering her head in shame. With one last look at each other, they marched off to their seats in unison and sat down for English under the Sir Jiraiya.

It was going to be a long period now that Ten-Ten has finally found an enemy, and with all the luck in the world, it was the undefeated black belter in karate: _Hyuuga Neji._


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: **Revised this chapter! Feel free to drop a critic in the review section! I'm always open to it. :D

**Disclaimer: **Naruto isn't mine because if he was, I'd give Ten-Ten more screen time.

**R&R PLEASE!**

* * *

**Chapter Two**

After first period, the bell rang and Ten-Ten stood up to go to her second class. Lee held onto her before she could walk away.

"Ten-Ten …" he started. She looked at him with a bewildered look on her face.

"Ano - I'm…I'm sorry for the trouble I caused you today. I should have stayed seated and listened to you but..but…"

"Lee…" she interjected. Lee looked at her with down cast eyes. She could only smile at him to try and get his hopes back up after the incident. Ten-Ten then patted the guy on the shoulder.

"Don't worry about it! It really wasn't your fault…" she told him. A stream of tears started to fall from his eyes, and then he hugged her tightly.

"Oh Ten-Ten! You really are a friend!" he said almost shouting into her ear as he tightened his grip. Ten-Ten was caught by surprise and looked at her classmates with an embarrassed face.

"N-No problem, Lee…" she told him. He instantly let her go and looked at her with fierce eyes and a curled fist.

"If anyone hurts you… I will beat then ten-ten… I will protect you with my life!" he told her. She gave a weak smile.

"Lee…" she chuckled and shook her head, not wanting to add anything else instead of: "Thanks."

"I have to go. I don't want to be late in science class..." she told him as she started to walk away. She looked at him as he gave her a thumbs up accompanied by a sparkly smile. When she had looked away from Lee, she noticed Neji's chair was empty and Hinata was also gone. She was pleased that she didn't have to pass by him again and left the room immediately.

* * *

She climbed up the stairs up to the top floor to the school green house. When she had looked inside, Ten-Ten spotted the teacher whom was already calling out names. 'Damn!' she thought, running as fast as she could with her bag flopping behind her.

"Aburame, Shino?" the teacher called.

"Here." said the boy by the corner. No one really understood why he had sunglasses on all the time, and no one [not yet] have had the courage to ask him. Even Ten-Ten had to agree that he was indeed, one of the most intimidating students in Konoha High.

It was strange that every other student who appeared to be feared by many, was in her class.

"Always present…" the teacher said, checking on the book she hand in hand.

"Ten-Ten?" she called out and looked at her student's, just then Ten-Ten bursted in the room, panting and grinning at the teacher as she adjusted the strap of her bag that fell to her side.

"Present!" she yelled out as she walked towards the class. The teacher looked at her with a faint smile before looking back down into her checkbook, the roll call continued on as Ten-Ten started to look for a seat she could settle on.

The class was full which had made it difficult for her to find a chair. Just as she had spotted a seat available, Ten-Ten had probably sighed happily a little too early. Someone was sitting beside it and oh what a lovely sight to behold – those cold, angry vanilla swirls that was owned by the one and only Neji Hyuuga. She had frozen on the spot as her chocolate colored irises stared at his pale ones.

"What's wrong Ten-Ten?" the female teacher had called out to her, clapping her hands together as she watched the brunette who seemed to be at a loss on what to do.

"Aren't you going to take your seat beside Mr. Neji?" the teacher called out. Ten-ten looked at their teacher and smiled nervously, before looking back at him. Ten-Ten gave a curt bow to the teacher before moving to the seat. She had tried not to show any sign of discomfort as she laid her bag down and shrunk herself into the chair.

And to think that the school was swarming with fangirls. At least ONE girl would have occupied the seat beside the Hyuuga male. She much preferred sitting on the floor rather than sit with him after their exciting incident in first period. The two were silent. Ten-Ten found it a smart idea not to turn her head his way.

"Now everyone, thank you so much for being patient, I'm very sorry for the late opening of this class but I hope to see you all stand in front and introduce yourselves to me and to your new classmates. Okay?" the class nodded.

"Who goes first?" she said looking at her book, "Let's start with our little miss late comer, Ten-ten dear."

Ten-Ten froze before she perked up from her seat as though someone had just electrocuted her. Ah she wasn't liking this.

"Oh Miss Kurenai… Do I have to?" she said with a yelp.

"Come in front, and introduce yourself." she said, pointing towards the teacher's desk. Without a choice, Ten-ten got up slowly and walked towards the front of the class. When she looked back at them, they all seemed to be pleased.

Ten-Ten cleared her throat and tried to smile, "Good morning. My na-" she said.

"Good morning!" they responded with a smile. For a moment Ten-Ten wanted to laugh at how enthusiastic they all seemed to be. Maybe a little too excited. Ten-Ten opened her mouth to speak but found a wired gargling sound escape. It was the laughter that had hid in her tummy, trying to break out.

"My name is Ten-Ten and I'm a junior student here, in this school. Obviously." she said the looked at her teacher, making them laugh. Maybe it was the fact that Neji was in the crowd that her defensive mechanism just kicked in: babbling. It was always funny as she would criticize even her own words.

"What are your hobbies, your likes your dislikes?" Kurenai had asked her, looking down at the pad on her table. Ten-ten sighed, she felt stupid doing this like she was back in grade school.

"I'm sports minded, so everyone should know what the means." Ten-Ten said, looking at the students in front of her. They all didn't appear to know what she was trying to say. She only wanted to keep her answers short – that way she could carry on and just sit her ass back down. Not stand here introducing herself. Not in front of Neji.

The moment she had thought of the Hyuuga, her brown eyes swept pass the heads of the students over to Neji. Seeing as to how his attention was drawn elsewhere, she felt better. At least. Just a little bit.

"It means that I like sports..?" she told them with a questioning tone as she started making circular movements with both her hands in front of her, "I participate in girls soccer and karate. I like people who are approachable and respectful to their fellow students and I most hate people those who take advantage of being on top by hurting those who aren't. I believe in equality in the society and peace between enemies. I'm very much approachable and if they are any questions regarding the school or activities, I would be most obliged to help you out." she said, choosing her words carefully before turning her head to her sensei. "I'm done, can I sit down now?" this made the others laugh in chorus – even the professor who seemed to have understood that she didn't want to stay where she was any longer.

Ten-Ten was one of the few students who liked to play sports however, did not like standing in front of a crowd delivering words or even presenting a speech.

"Very well Ms. Ten-ten." kurenai said, waving a hand in front of her, permitting the young female to go back to her seat. With a grin she marched back to her seat and somehow wished she could have stayed in front of the class. She had forgotten for a moment that she was sitting beside him.

_Ah, shit._

"And boy's, she is very much available. So if you're interested, you can start applying now before it's too late." the teacher said in a sing song voice, waving her pen in the air. Ten-ten blushed at her teacher's remark and just slumped back to her chair. Neji didn't flinch, nor stare. He just sat there looking into the open space. As names were being called out, there was a cold silence between her and Neji and Ten-Ten had to admit: it was becoming unbearable.

"Mr. Hyuuga Neji… Would you like to introduce yourself?" he teacher asked. Neji looked up, but didn't seem to find any interest in doing so.

"I don't think he should professor…" said one girl.

"We all know him." said the other blonde. The teacher looked at them.

"Hyuuga Neji is the undefeated champion for 3 years in a row." said the red haired junior.

"He also happens to be the right hand of the leader of their family." called the other.

"He was born on July 3. That means he's a Cancer in the zodiac sign." said a small female voice.

"Hyuuga Neji is the first cousin of Hyuuga Hinata, the cutest girl in class 3A." said another.

"He is in charge of her safety and protects her no matter where they go."

"His likes to practice his skills and his favorite drink is green tea, most important for his peace of mind."

"His favorite color is white and likes to be left alone and being at peace."

"Most importantly, he believes in fate and hard work."

"And he is the schools number one hottest guy on campus." called out another. The girls started to giggle. Ten-ten looked around her and couldn't believe what these girls knew about him. She couldn't help but release a disgusted grunt. She knew Neji heard her because she could see in her peripheral vision that he looked her way.

"By the way... We are the Neji fan-club, if there are any girls whom like to sign up, please come to me." said the blonde.

"Well... that was… very surprising…" the professor stated before looking over at Ten-Ten who was more interested in a strand of her hair that popped out of her bangs.

"Ten-Ten?" she called, making the female look up as though she was guilty of something, "It seems like you were the only one who hasn't spoken about Mr. Neji…" said the teacher, folding her arms. From here, she looked like a mother who was ready to scold her child – but the young Chinese-Japanes female knew that kurenai sensei was only poking a bit of fun. Ten-Ten's eye's wondered around the room and spotted the girls looking at her. Hesitantly, she stood up and pulled on her uniform skirt with a shy smile.

"Ah… There are many things I'd like to say about Neji." Ten-Ten begun, looking up from her skirt and squinting them over at the backboard from behind Kurenai sensei. "Where do I start…" she added, clearing her throat before snapping her fingers as though the light bulb of ideas had just turned on.

"Hyuuga Neji used to be the greatest Karate master I know." she started. Neji looked up with his vanilla colored eyes, not having expected the first words that drifted away from her mouth.

"Everything he did in the middle of a match…was…_flawless_. Every move he made seemed to be perfect. It was like watching a real kung Fu master in the flesh. Fearless and bold, making every guy on campus wanting to be in his place, wanting to be as fast and as great as his reputation carried him. One of them was my very best friend. Rock Lee. I'm sure you guys know who he is – if not, you can find him in the gym. The one with the big buggy eyes and the weirdly cut hair an- nevermind." Ten-Ten laughed, waving a hand in front of her dismissing her babbled words before she had continued.

"Fact of the matter is… I really liked this Hyuuga Neji guy." she said, a slightly dreamy looked flashed across her face. Kurenai gasped, thinking it was a confession, "Because he seemed so resolute."

Everyone in the class seemed to be stunned by what she had just said. How bold of her to actually state that she held a certain amount of admiration to Neji. Even the Hyuuga seemed to be caught in shock, however – this would only get worse…

"But what we don't know about him…" she continued.

"Is that under all that fame and glory, he is just as stuck up as everyone else that don't know how to swallow their pride." Ten-Ten spat. The girls gasped at her words. The teacher looked her and held her chart on her chest as though her heart was about to pop out like a jack-in the box.

"He thinks the world is in his hands and we just live in it… He looks at us with his cold white eyes and think we are nothing. That we are scum in his way and were just hindrances in his door step. That we are just fan's and he is the God and all we really need to do – all we live for, is to feed him with praises and clean the spots and smudges from his shoe. Because he thinks, we're just puppets clinging to the strings of his devious fingers and we just do whatever he wants us to do. That were just dummies for him to dominate." she said, trying hard not to shake as she spoke. Keeping her voice down was difficult and she had tried not to make her voice crack. The longer she had spoken, the harder it was to control herself. The inner need to turn to him and hit him in his smug looking face was intensifying and this was the right time for her to stop.

Yes. Stop. But she needed to add one last thing…

Ten-Ten looked at Neji, who sat there dumbfounded; frozen in shock before the fires of his cold eyes exploded. The embers burning from under them. However, this didn't intimidate her. Not in the slightest. "I hate people like him." she spat, lifting her chin as she delivered those words right at him.

Before he could even say anything, she turned her head away sharply.

"The Hyuuga Neji we all know never existed. And I will never bow down to him, even if he really was a God. We're just people and all people have to have their respect." she could feel her heart pound faster under her ribcage as she continued talking, turning to look at Neji again. "So Mr. Hyuuga Neji… If you want to be respected like a real man, respected because you are a great person; you have to earn it. Just like everyone else does in this world." she said looking at him straight in the eyes. "I'm done." she looked over at her sensei, picked her bag up from the floor and walked out.

She was smart enough not to stay knowing that his fangirls would probably shred her to a million pieces.

* * *

The last time she saw Hyuuga Neji was in Science class, after that, she didn't see that irritating face anymore. Maybe he was there, but she didn't really notice. And seeing as to how he was undeniably attractive, that – THAT – was saying a lot.

The bell rang, and she slowly made her way to the locker room to change and get ready for rock climbing. Her coach wasn't around, but she always wanted to climb anyways either to train or to just get busy. She had slipped on her white tank top, red jogging pants and black rubber shoes before having to make sure that she had her fill of a drink and walked into the gym. She took a deep breath in and sighed; ah the smell of sweat and hard work. By a corner, she spotted Sir Gai: the coach for karate, standing together with Lee. The two, looked like father and son. Maybe a little too much. The image still scared her on some days, but she had gotten used to it. The moment the round eyed male spotted her, he smiled, waving at her enthusiastically. Ten-Ten waved back in his direction before turning to prepare herself for a climb when a hand tapped her in the shoulder.

"Lee, I'm a little busy at the moment. We can talk later, okay?" she said without turning to face him. Soon the person behind him cleared his throat and this made ten-ten turn to the guy.

"Wha-?" she asked but stopped dead after seeing who it was whom have tapped her in the shoulder.

"Hyuuga Neji…." his name slipped through her lips before she gave a lopsided smile, "What a surprise…" she said, holding on to her safety chord. He looked at her with a stern face.

"I was not pleased of what you have said about me in Science class earlier today. That was uncalled for and unacceptable." he told her with his hands behind him. She looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Well, _I'm sorry_, but we all have to face the truth sometime." she replied, coldly before turning back to her wall, "So if you will excuse me, I have some climbing to do."

"Is this how you treat other people? With disrespect and impudence?" he asked her. She looked away from the wall and pointed a finger at him.

"Well, excuse me _young prince_ - but for now, you're the only person who deserves to be treat a good amount of disrespect for the moment. Now if you can please, leave me alone." she told him and poked him on the chest before turning away from him and taking her first two steps up the wall. In his anger, Hyuuga Neji tugged on her foot, causing her to fall onto the floor with a loud bang. Ten-ten felt her ankle burn and rolled on the floor. Soon there was a whistle blowing and she could hear people approaching to her in a rush.

She looked up and spotted the black belted moron who walked away from her. She forced herself to stand, ignoring the pain on her ankle and jumped to slap the Hyuuga on the back of his head. This made all the people look at their direction, gasping from all corners of the gym before a deadly silence. The Hyuuga turned his head slowly to face her. She was breathing hard with a curled fist in her anger. Soon they were eye to eye, looking at each other with extreme disgust.

"Why… Did you hit me?" he slowly asked her with grinned teeth.

"Simply because I merely thought a little whacking behind your head would give you time to come to your senses to know whom you just pulled down from the rock wall - you overindulged **MORONIC ASSHOLE**!" she yelled at him, shaking in her rage. The karate team looked at them and some of the members began to laugh at Neji's humiliation. Neji snapped his head in their direction, immediately causing them to fall silent.

"If you hit me one more time, I will harm you, do you understand me?" he said and walked away. She walked after him and whacked him harder behind the head. He stopped and looked at her; the female simply stared at him with her hands folded on her chest.

"May I whack you again?" she asked.

"If you can…" he answered. Immediately, she aimed for his face with a curled fist, Neji blocked it with his right arm in ease. Soon kicks and punches were exchanged between the two students. The rest of the members whom was present in the gym watched in fear while a good majority of them were entertained. Others were even betting on who it was to win – sadly, only a good few were counting on Ten-Ten to win the battle. Neji was champion after all.

Executing a back flip, Ten-Ten dodged Neji's attack, countering it with a high kick which had landed straight into his pretty face. The impact caused the male to fall onto the floor with a hand over his nose, while Ten-Ten yelped – hopping on one foot while the other was clutching on her wounded ankle. There was a gasp from the karate team as they looked at the 3 time undefeated champion of karate, down onto the matt of the gym. As soon as Ten-ten had recovered with Chinese curses spewed from her quivering lips, she looked at him, managing a wicked smile.

"It's like you're about to be out of your glory, Neji-sama." she told him with a playful tone in her voice. He knew she had called him 'sama' only to mock him. In his rage, he swept her off her feet causing the female to fall flat on her back. He stood up as she groaned and he knelt down to her.

"I guess I underestimated you."

"All men underestimate the female species." she told him. Neji stood up quickly and as Ten-Ten tried to get back to her feet. Neji stood up in front of her, as if challenging her to stand up.

"What is going on here?!" asked a very familiar, very angry female voice. Both Ten-Ten and Neji looked behind them only to see [in their horror] the principal of Konoha high: Ms. Tsunade. Neji stood still as Ten-Ten got to her feet immediately, still struggling with her injury. The vast chested and very attractive woman stood in front of the both of them with her hands behind her back watching the two of them with her eyebrows knitted closely together.

"This is much unexpected. Mr. Hyuuga Neji and Ms. Ten-Ten both pouncing on each other inside my gymnasium? Are you not embarrassed of yourselves?" she spat angrily at both of them. Just then a black haired and younger looking woman joined the principal. She was holding the school mascot: the miniature pig named Ton-Ton.

"Mam' Tsunade…" called the woman.

"I want these two in my office, straight away. I have to talk to Sir Gai for a moment." she told her assistant as she silently walked off, not sparing them a single look. The assistant looked at the two of them who appeared to be trying their best to inch themselves away from one another. The lady nodded her head towards the doors of the gym and Ten-ten gave Neji an evil glare before she took a step forward.

* * *

Soon the two of them were inside the Principals office and the assistant sat the two of them in front of the principals table. They were both silent for a while as the assistant walked out and Ten-Ten couldn't help but feel innocent.

"You." said Neji. Ten-ten looked at the white eyed boy beside her with a raised eyebrow.

"What do you mean 'me'? If you didn't pull me off the wall, this wouldn't have happened!" she told him raising her voice at him with both arms folded on her chest.

"Well, if you didn't say those things and humiliated me in front of the class and the karate team today, we wouldn't be here, so this is not my fault it's yours." he told her. She angrily slapped her hands on her lap and looked at the Hyuuga with her angry chocolate brown eyes.

"You men! You're all the same! Your pride gets the best of you! This is not my fault! This would never have happened if YOU didn't treat my best friend like crap in front of our classmates this morning!" she snapped at him.

"If you didn't intervene into our conversation, this would never have happened!" he snapped back. She gasped at what he told her and sat up straight.

"Conversation? CONVERSATION? You were sealing a war right in front of the class, and you call it a _conversation_?! You seriously need to look into your life right now and start fixing all your oddities before you even make a conversation!"

"Excuse me? Oddities? In _me_?"

"Look, clearly, I cannot appeal to your honor…" she said with a slang British accent while flinging her hand in the air animatedly.

"…So just shut your mouth and sit there silently like you always do. Aren't you good at that?" she said raising an eyebrow at him.

"That was quite a mouthful, Miss Ten-Ten. You and Mr. Hyuuga here make a very good pair." said a voice. It was the principal. She walked in and slowly glided towards her seat.

"I cannot believe what I am witnessing. Do you even know each other?" asked the blonde as she took her seat to look at them both with a raised eyebrow. Ten-ten looked at Neji then looked away with a scoff. The principal heaved a sigh then intertwined her hands together on top of the desk.

"I guess not." she said as she looked at the doorway and called in her assistant who held two folders in her hands. The assistant walked in and handed the papers to the principal.

"Thank you Shizune. Don't forget to feed Ton-Ton later on, I have an appointment with a business man from the Mist." she told her assistant.

"Oh… Should I postpone your other appointments for today Lady Tsunade?" asked the woman named Shizune as she made her way out the door.

"Yes, please do. Thank you Shizune." said Tsunade as she opened the folders and scanned trough it. The two students remained silent.

"How is your uncle, Mr. Hyuuga?" asked the principal. Neji looked up at her, forcing himself to smile a bit.

"He is doing well."

She looked up at Ten-Ten.

"And when are you going to visit your parents?" she asked the female. Ten-ten looked up, trying to gather the courage to speak.

"Maybe this coming semester break."

Tsunade nodded.

"I guess the both of your guardians aren't going to be coming here in school for the ruckus you've caused earlier – Neji's Uncle is quite the busy man. So here's the deal…" she said slamming the folders on her desk and relaxing her back on her chair.

"Ms. Ten-Ten, you will be spending 3 months in the Hyuuga mansion. That way, the both of you will get to know one another. You're dismissed." she told her students and waved them off with a bored look on her face. Neji's eyes widened like saucers and Ten-Ten's jaw dropped.

"Err…um… M-Ms. Tsunade…um…" ten-ten began.

"Did I ask you for questions?" she said giving ten-ten an angry look that made ten-ten slide low on her seat.

"No, Ms. Tsunade." She replied.

"What did I tell you?"

"That we're… Dismissed."

"If I find out that you haven't done as the both of you have been told, you are both going to EXPELLED from my school. Do you understand me? And no wise cracks Mr. Neji." she said, shooting the Hyuuga with a toxic glare. The two were quiet but they both nodded. It's not like they had a choice.

The next thing they knew, they both flew out of the office door as it slammed shut. Both still silent and in shock.

"This is my punishment; living in the Hyuuga mansion for two whole months. That's just perfect!" she said as she walked away from Neji.

"And you think it's going to be a vacation for me? Having you around school is torment, but now, having you around the mansion? It's a death sentence."

She stopped dead on her tracks and looked at him with a hand on her hip.

"And what exactly do you mean by that? Having one blunt, thick headed, ice berg like you goofing off and being a jerk in school isn't enough, I get to be with the rest of the android clan!" she said and walked off again.

"Did you just insult my family? I'm so sorry I have no come back for that because, well, let me think… Oh yeah, YOU HAVE NO FAMILY!" he said allowing his voice to ring along the schools hallway. The students that passed by looked at them both before moving on, quickly. They just knew something terrible was bound to happen. Ten-ten snapped her head to face him, face turned into a bright shade of red.

"I would rather have no family if I knew that I had to have one like your own!" she snapped.

"And if you did have a family like mine, they would never accept you as a member of the clan!" he snapped back.

"Let's get one thing straight here and make sure you put this inside your thick head Mr. I'm-too-perfect. I have a family and I'm so grateful that I wasn't born as robot-like as you turned out to be!" she said. Neji looked at her his eyes squinted at her remark.

"Oh so you have a family, then why is it that nobody ever sees them around?"

"Because they're in China, you **MORON**!" she shouted at him.

"That will be the_ last_ time you will ever insult my intelligence." Neji found himself hissing at her with a pointed finger.

"Why? The truth hurts, doesn't it?" she said with a sneer.

"I have no time to argue with you," he told her, walking pass her, "My time is too precious to be spent on someone as illiterate as you are. Meet me at the gates of the school. You have exactly one hour to pack your things." he told her and took a sharp turn towards the school gym.

"Whatever!" she yelled back at him but was unsure if he had heard her. Slowly, she limped to the exit. She had to prepare for herself for the horrifying 2 month stay in the Hyuuga mansion. Ten-Ten was looking forward to it… Really..


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** You guys must be in shock to know that I'm still alive!

First off, I'm so sorry for leaving so many of you hanging by a thread. Because of my really long absence, I'm pretty sure you guys thought I wasn't coming back. I'm sorry about that. T^T Gomene! I've been so busy with a lot that I neglected and forgot that I had a story waiting for be updated. My original files have been deleted so I'm starting all over again. I do hope you guys enjoy this one.

Lots of love and apologies - MOE.

That being said, here's Chapter 3! Where Naruto character's are in highschool and nothing is every easy.

**I DON'T OWN NARUTO!**

* * *

**Chapter 3**

"Oh. My. God." Sakura couldn't contain herself as she slumped on the bed with her feet kicking up in the air. The pink haired female clutched her bear plush and hopped over to the brunette who seemed to have nothing but gloom over her head; hands working on the clothing as she slowly pushed them into her bag. She couldn't understand the meaning of it all. Why did she have to go and spend her time in the Hyuuga mansion? What exactly was Tsunade-Sama trying to teach her?

"Like… Oh my god." Sakura continued, swinging the toy over the brunette's back. "I cannot believe you get to spend some time inside the legendary home of the legendary Hyuuga's. If I would have known that this was the kind of punishment the principal would give her students, I would have done waaaaaaay worse then you did to Neji."

Ten-Ten shot a toxic glare at her friend.

"I don't see why you're so excited about this…" the Chinese female mused, throwing a book into the pile. "So I get to be in the house of oh so wonderful, Hyuuga Neji and the rest of the clan. Big deal! I'd rather spend my time with my gran-gran and her league of cats than be in that prison!" Ten-Ten made a face, "It may look like a wonderful mansion on the outside to some, but it looks a lot like a correctional facility to me." she added, pushing the clothes further in.

"Ten-Ten-san~" Sakura wrapped her arms around her friend. A chin on top of her shoulder as she pursed her lips, twisting it into a smile. Ten-Ten cut her eyes in front of her. She had known Sakura for years. Once she had done 'the hug' it only meant one thing.

"What?" she spat, keeping the angle of her face straight in front of her. Turning it would mean a nose to nose confrontation with the green eyed girl who now nuzzled her shoulder.

"I love you." Sakura muttured, almost in an eerie way right into Ten-ten's ear making the brunette shiver.

"I have a feeling that I'm not going to like this." Ten-ten just had to say.

"Whaaaaat? I'm just saying I love yo-."

"Sakura, cut the crap. What exactly do you want? I have a lot of packing to do. Just say it!"

"Well…" Sakura started, tilting her head to the side as she tightened her grip around Ten-Ten, "I'm sure you know who Neji hang's out with… Right?"

"No. I don't. Please. Humor me."

"Three words…" Sakura let go of Ten-ten and jumped in front of the female's bag, "U. Chi. Ha." Ten-ten was sure there was a sparkling in her emerald eyes as she spoke.

"_One_ word, actually." Ten-ten corrected her as she pushed her friends pretty fingers off her neatly folded shirt. Haruno Sakura had always – ALWAYS – had the most terrible crush on the guy since kinder garden. A few exchanged glances, words of greeting in the morning; that was all there was to Sakura and Sasuke. And to think she was the smartest female in Konoha High School? She could have chosen someone who actually had human feelings, or at least showed signs of human life beneath his raven colored eyes.

Sakura ignored her friend's comment and turned away to hold her plush with two hands in front of her as though the stuffed animal would understand her more than Ten-ten ever would.

"Sasuke Uchiha. The hottest, most adorable, most elegant, most-."

"-beautiful guy my eyes have every laid eyes upon. Oh the pretty locks, the deep intensity in his dark eyes – that warm, charming smile~" Ten-ten had to intervene. She had heard this line one too many times.

"Sakura, he's a walking empty shell. I'm pretty sure if you try and shake him, there's nothing there but hot air." she added, giving the pink haired female look of concern. Sakura turned her head towards Ten-ten so violently, the brunette feared she would have broken her own pretty neck.

"He's BEAUTIFUL. And you know it!" Sakura snarled. Of course she would try to change Ten-ten's mind about the raven haired male who never even had the common courtesy to say a good morning to her whenever she had come across him in the school's hall.

"Blargh…." Ten-ten stuck her tongue out in disgust, "He's absolutely HORRIBLE."

"You don't even know him! Look-." the pink haired female jumped to her feet and ran over to her dresser just beside a bed covered in nothing but baby pink. Pulling the drawer open, Sakura fished out what looked like a diary. A book, of a sort. Ten-ten wasn't so sure as she only spared it one glance and carried on with packing. She knew exactly what it was:

"I have all his information, his contact numbers – email adds. Even the schedule of his classes this term AND brand as well as size of shirts he prefers to wear!"

"Good lord…" Ten-ten chuckled, "So, before I leave – mind telling me if you have a shrine dedicated to him around here? Say, inside your cabinet or maybe behind a trap door in this room?" it would only make sense if it was true, but Sakura didn't seem to catch the joke in her friends comment and acted like she heard nothing.

"Let's see…" she flipped through a couple of pages as Ten-ten picked out two more shirts to pack, "He's always with Neji around the afternoons around the tea house in Tanzaku town no later than 5." Sakura looked through the list of things in her little red book. This was what she decided to name the thing. After all, it wouldn't be right to call it her 'Stalker Note' as it would offend the Madam Haruno.

"They always play tennis on Saturdays around 8 in the morning, then move on to the springs with Hinata and Hanabi – her younger sister -." Sakura looked up from the pages as though this was something Ten-Ten didn't know before looking back down to continue reading, "- around 12 to freshen up. Around 2, they head on back to the mansion to most probably talk about school stuff… Not so sure. Then Sasuke leaves around 6 after dinner." after she had done reading, Ten-ten rose to her feet and grabbed her bag by the strap.

"Remind me again, where you get all this?" she asked, "I'm a tad bit concerned about your obsession with Uchiha Sasuke." Ten-ten frowned, "Really, concerned." she just had to add. Sakura waved a hand at the brunette and snapped the book shut before rising to her feet.

"The everyday life of the hunk Uchiha Sasuke dot com has all the information I need. It changes every year, all depending on his lifestyle." Sakura walked down the hall with Ten-ten, making sure to escort her friend out of the apartment.

Ten-ten's eyes widened, "He has a fanbase?" she asked. Of course he would have a fanbase. Every girl in town wanted to know exactly what was going on in the life of the world's most favorite Uchiha.

"It just hit a million last night! There are pictures and videos and everything!" the pink haired female gave a sigh and stood by the frame of the door as Ten-Ten stepped out, turning around to see that dreamy face her friend had on. "It's my guilty pleasure…"

Ten-ten raised a hand, "Say no more – I think I've heard enough." the brunette closed her eyes, as though she was trying to un-see the images in her head, "I have to go before Sir Perfectly-Ice-Cold gets his panties tied up in a knot." Ten-ten turned to leave only to be pulled back in the arm by Sakura.

"Ehhh – you still didn't ask me what I wanted from you!" Ten-ten rolled her eyes and tried to pry her arm away from her fingers, but Sakura had the meanest grip any female could have.

"A new photograph? A pair of his underwear? His home ad – why are you even asking me to do this!? I'm sure the fanbase has everything you need; maybe even an article of his clothing that you guys auction off the net!" Ten-ten tried to get away, but she knew it was hopeless.

"I just want you to ask him to go to the dance with me! That's all!" Sakura looked like a child who was about to burst into tears after being denied a good pony. She was literally begging for Ten-ten to do this for her, in which case, didn't seem like something new to the brunette who only looked away with a audible tsk. She knew she wasn't going to like it.

"Why can't you ask him _yourself_?"

"Because I know that somehow you and Sasuke would be good pals in the future! I mean, you hit it off real nicely with Hyuuga Neji, didn't you? First time you actually got to talk to your hero and end up being invited to his home!" this time Ten-ten pulled he arm away violently. She didn't want to hear it.

"He WAS my hero till he turned out to be a complete jerk. The sooner you realize that Sasuke's just like him, the sooner you get over him." Ten-ten sounded bitter, but Sakura had learned to overlook this little flaw there was to Ten-ten. Once angered, she would never revert back to admiring anyone who had broken her trust, or her heart.

Ten-ten did find it in her soul to look up to Neji at a young age. Unlike Sakura, she knew where to set her boundaries. However, it didn't mean that she didn't hurt after knowing of the real Neji – the reason for her wishful thinking that she could be just as strong and just as noble as the Hyuuga, now in ashes thinking that all this time she was looking up to someone who was nothing but a mere illusion to the world.

_Noble? Nice? Strong?_

**No.**

_Arrogant. Self-obsessed. Vindictive. Cruel._

The right description to Hyuuga Neji.

Sakura tugged on the sleeve of her arm, making Ten-ten turn her head to look. "Please..? For me..?" she asked the brunette with sad little puppy eyes that seemed overused, but never had lost its charm. Ten-ten sighed and had the urge to kick herself when she gave a nod, agreeing to doing her friend this crazy favor.

Sakura's face glowed and she jumped from the open door to Ten-ten, giving her a bear hug which had almost knocked her over. "Thank you!" Sakura shrieked into her ear, "Thankyouthankyouthankyouthan kyou!" it sounded like a broken record to her, but Ten-ten could only choke as the grip around her neck tightened. Before she had allowed Ten-ten release, she planted a huge kiss on her cheek and pulled away, shoving the red notebook on Ten-ten's chest.

"Take it! It has everything you need to know about Sasuke!" she seemed a little too happy when she said it.

Ten-ten held up a hand to refuse, a little too humiliated to accept something so dangerous. "Ano… It's okay. I don't need it." but of course, this wasn't enough to make the pink haired female understand. She had shoved the notebook into her bag and pushed Ten-ten forwards to send her off her way; waving happily as her friend had set out to the front gates of the school.

She adjusted the strap of her bag from her shoulders and looked to both her sides; Sakura's voice hollering from behind her: "Good luck, panda bear!" ah great. Just what she needed. A name from the past to haunt her in the future. She shot Sakura's tiny figure from afar a glare and mouthed in her direction a furious 'Shut up!' before turning away to continue on with her unwanted journey.

* * *

The moment she had reached the school's gates, Ten-ten sat down on the stairs and waited still wearing her school uniform. She would have changed, but she didn't have the time to do so – just in case Neji, that 'bastard' as she kept calling him in her head, would be here first and chew her over for being late. Ten-ten took the time to look over at the yellowing sky. Soon it'll be a lush color of orange and pink, that would fade into a beautiful shade of violet to blue. Deep in her thoughts, she hadn't realized that a black car had pulled over right in front of her – almost running the girls feet over. She released a surprised yelp as she tucked her feet back from the pavement to stop the tires from flattening her toes.

"AIJA! SONUVAB-!" she gave an angry shriek, before discovering that this was the Hyuuga family's car. The window slowly rolled down and familiar, cold vanilla eyes stared down at the female who glowered at him.

"Get in. I do not wish to waste my time." his voice sounded so deep under the earth that she would have thought he was growling at her – which of course, would not be a surprise as they had already come to a conclusion that they hated one another. Ten-ten didn't give an audible response and got up without question, reaching over to the door of the passenger's seat to crawl in. Throwing her bag inside, Ten-ten sat down behind the driver's seat and slumped down to avoid being seen from the rearview mirror. The moment she had made herself comfortable [sort of], Neji drove off.

Thus. The fun was only to begin.

* * *

**A/N: **There you have it! I know the writing style is a little different this time around, but I still hope you guys enjoy it. :3 Leave a comment about what you guys think! Critic's are welcome. Much love _- Moedeity_


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: **Here's chapter 4. I wanted to make it as visual as possible for you guys. Enjoy!

**I DON'T OWN NARUTO!**

* * *

**Chapter 4**

Ten-ten's eyes wondered around the car's interior. Silently, she would allow her eyes to travel to the rear view mirror to see if he was watching her in her curiosity. Never in her life has she been in something as luxurious as this. Whenever he would flick those cold eyes towards her, she would act like she was looking watching the road or pretend she was looking at a imaginary strand of hair that slipped pass her bangs. The whole ride was quiet. Deadly quiet. If someone was there to witness or experience it, they would say the air between the two would suffocate them.

As the car pulled over, Ten-Ten slowly lifted her chocolate colored irises away from the hem of her skirt in which she had found more interesting than anything else inside the car; and as her gaze fell on the gates – she gave a surprised sigh. True, she had seen the mansion's walls before, however she had never really been this close to the gates. Because of the shock she had received, curiosity had kicked in and it was hard for Ten-Ten to keep herself pressed against the backrest of her seat. Unconsciously, she had pulled herself forwards in between the front seats of the car; her head poking out from the back as her eyes looked forwards.

"Wa… Zhè jiù xiàng huángdì de mén… [Wow… it's like the emperor's gates…]" she murmured to herself in her motherlands tongue, making the male turn his head slightly over to the side before he had decided on hesitating, turning his head back to the front. Ten-Ten of course, had noticed and slowly shrunk back to her seat.

The gates doors were made out of what looked like mahogany with the emblem of the Hyuuga family crest embedded in silver. It looked like fire inside a circle. Though of course, Ten-Ten hasn't paid much attention to detail nor did she fully understand why they were represented by fire, so she couldn't possibly understand the connection of the crest to a family of cold hearted members. Fire? Bah. It should have been ice.

The two had remained quiet until the gates slid open to each side. This was the first time she had ever seen the Hyuuga mansion. Ten-Ten's jaw dropped at the size of land in front of her. She had never seen anything so vast, or big in her entire life. Of course, that didn't include the forbidden city of China in which she had visited quite a few times during her summer vacations with the family – here in Japan, she hardly had seen a home this big. Her chocolate colored eyes swiftly darted to the back of Neji's head before it had fallen back to her lap. Lucky bastard. To think he was raised in such a luxury while people like her and Sakura and everyone else lived in rat infested flats and apartments.

The pathway headed towards the house was a long ways ahead. It took only a couple of minutes for the car to reach the stairs of the mansion's entrance but of course, going on foot would have taken a longer amount of time. When Neji had parked the car, he took his seat belt off without a word and opened the door to get out before moving in front of her side of the car to open it for her. This act of being a gentleman had caught her by surprise as she sat there a little startled with wide eyes and arms holding onto her bag like one would clutch a pillow while they watched a scary movie. Neji noticed the lack of movement from the female and his eyes darted her way.

"Now would be the perfect time to step out…" he told her. The tones of his voice was calm, but it was cold. Typical.

Ten-Ten had the need to throw her bag at him but decided against it in fear she would break something valuable inside her bag. She didn't respond, but only found it right to make her way out of the car. Aside from his cold glare and obvious need to stay away from the female, he at least showed perfectly fine manners by opening the door for her: that was a plus, for now.

Before she could move forward, Neji opened the car door to the driver's seat once more and sat back. Ten-Ten seemed to be confused for a moment before he slammed the door shut and drove off without her. Not even a word about her waiting, he just simply drove off making her look like a unwanted child in front of a mansion – left by her parents.

"O-OI!" she shouted after the car as it made a turn to the right and disappearing from view. The brunette made a face of shock before kicking at the pebbles under her feet and throwing her head to the side in disbelief with a audible, "Ah!".

"Leaving me h – what an id – stupid bas – fucki – BLARGH." she muttered angrily, trying to decide what to do with herself. Should she wait here until he came back? Or should she go on ahead? What if he had planned to leave her there in the cold, then act as if he had never seen her in his life – which of course would cause immediate death as trespasser to the Hyuuga property! Ten-Ten whimpered and her shoulders raised itself to her ears – arms hugging her bag tightly. The images in her mind made her want to at least run off to save herself. Maybe she was just over thinking things, but with the well known reputation of the Hyuuga family and the power they obviously had [aside from the riches that wasn't hard to believe they had] no one could say she was overreacting!

Before she could even reach the peak of her panic, the male that was Neji begun to materialize from the distance with his hands in his pockets and face as stoic as ever. Just his presence made her breathe a little easier. How ironic. Just as he had reached a few steps away from the brunette, she had finally spoken.

"Where'd you go?" she asked him. He only looked at her with his lips twisted in what looked like a frown and a smile. She couldn't decide which was one was which. That face seemed to have a limited amount of expressions that smiling or frowning seemed to be impossible – thus her confusion. She wished she understood that face he had on because it was the only response she got from him. Neji passed by the female without a single word of explaining himself to her. From behind him, Ten-Ten made an angry face before picking her feet up to walk after him.

The mansion was just, too huge for her to explain. She could see the light spilling out of the windows, curtains of white from behind the glass, a silhouette of a person walk pass – the darkness that pressed against the white lasted for a few seconds before disappearing. She had expected a number of people in the grounds, like guards or a caretaker. Perhaps even a chauffeur that would have driven the car Neji had taken a few minutes back, into the garage. But it was just them outside – no one else was around. Maybe it was the time. Perhaps they were all inside.

This belief was nothing but a lie. The moment she had stepped through the grand doors of the mansion, there was no one there. Not even a single maid, or someone to assist her with her bags. Not like she had expected it to be like a hotel, but yes – she had expected it to be like a hotel. 'My mistake…' she thought to herself. The floors were squeaky clean though. There was a grand stair case that twisted its way up before parting in two directions, leading up to the second floor. From above them hung a huge chandelier; it's diamond like crystals sparkling with the radiance of the light the bulbs have given off. There were vases or gold and white with fresh flowers sprouting from the opening of the porcelain material. She followed Neji silently, but her eyes darted from left to right – trying to take everything in. Because she was so absorbed with trying to remember the details of a grand home, she hadn't noticed Neji stop in his tracks. Ten-Ten smacked against his broad shoulders with a surprised 'Ah!' and she stumbled a bit before looking up at him as he turned to glare at her.

"Who is this..?" asked a man in traditional Omeshi [Omeshi is a kind of Chirimen (silk crepe) kimono.]. He looked old enough to be Neji's grandfather. Eyes slightly squinted her way, irises the same shade as the younger Hyuuga. To think that Hyuuga's were famous for their luxury, she was a little taken back by the simplicity of his Omeshi. It was a plane white with the family crest embroidered in black thread.

Neji spared her a glance in which was exchanged with a stare of her own.

"A school mate of mine. The one in which I have spoken about minutes before I have left." Neji spoke in a low voice, almost in a whisper as he answered the older man's question.

Ten-Ten gave a respectful bow, "Nice to meet you, sir…" she spoke, mimicking the volume of Neji's voice. The older man looked her way before ignoring her completely. Ten-Ten felt like shrinking in shame.

"Be sure that she keeps out of places she should not be in. Take full responsibility for a Non-Hyuuga. I am sure your Uncle had not taken the news, so lightly."

"Of course." Neji replied, giving a bow of his own before the male gave Ten-Ten another glance. She had a feeling she wasn't wanted here. It's not like she wished to be in the mansion, nor did she want to be around Neji. But what was she to do? The two Hyuuga's continued on with a conversation she was sure she didn't need to hear and her eyes travelled away from the men and made its way to what appeared to be a family portrait. It was a well done painting that hung firmly on the wall by the first landing of the staircase. It was huge. Very much like everything else in the house.

Her eyes squinted for a moment before she observed the faces of the painting. There was a man who looked a lot like Neji in the middle and two females; one being Hinata and the other was the youngest – Hanabi. The three of them looked just as emotionless as Neji, [except that Hinata's was more of a softer face compaired to the two beside her] that even wearing expensive looking Kimono's didn't give them a happy family portrait feel, just as any family portrait should be like. However, a frown had crept its way into her small Chinese features: Where was Neji?

Before she could even ask, she felt eyes upon her. When she had turned to look back at Neji and the older man – she was more than surprised to see 3 more men standing there, looking at her as though they had never seen anything more appalling than she. Her eyes looked from one male to another, a little confused and now feeling a little scared being around them. She could feel them judging her. She could feel it – no doubt.

"He is waiting in his office. It would be wise to show this… female guest you have, to the master of the house before you take her to her quarters." she heard the older one say.

Her quarters? What kind of family spoke like they did?

In response to this, Neji gave a low bow before walking onwards. Ten-Ten followed immediately, not wanting to fall back behind him and stay with the 4 other males that had greeted them in the hall. She had wanted to ask Neji who they were but had feared that in this long hallow hall; they'd hear her speak so she decided against it.

After a few minutes, Ten-Ten was lead to two white set of doors. When Neji stopped, so did she – and gently, the male's knuckles met the solid surface of the door. They stood there for a few seconds before a muffled voice called them in. This allowed Neji to open the door; his gaze falling on Ten-Ten who made a nod to the side, telling her to enter first. Her mouth made a 'o' before nodding briskly and entering.

The room she had found herself in was huge with piles of books at each corner of the room. The floor was covered in a deep blue, the lights above was given by yet another chandelier and the paintings in the walls were of the old Japan. She had the feeling of stepping into the principal's office and when the doors had closed behind her, with Neji joining her, she felt like a trapped animal about to be served to a hungry lion.

In between wide set of windows that reached the ceiling down to the floor sat a man in a suit, sitting silently with a pen in hand and a indifferent expression on his face as his attention was drawn to whatever it was he was doing on his desk. Papers probably? Family business? Ten-Ten didn't want to know. She was too scared to find out, nor did she have the guts to speak in this silence. She had found it safe to follow what Neji did. She could hear the scribbling of his pen on paper as they stopped in front of his desk and then, slowly; the male that she had to guess was Neji's father – stopped and looked up at her. She now knew that he was the man in the portrait she had seen earlier when she stepped into the mansion. The one with Hinata and Hanabi and a missing Neji.

"Welcome to the Hyuuga mansion, Miss Ten-Ten…" he spoke. She had almost been knocked over by the surprise of a smile on his face. Ten-Ten gave a relieved sigh and bowed in respect to the man.

"Thank you, sir. It is an honor to be here." she said, trying to sound polite. The moment she had straightened herself, she now felt like she had over done it. Now the expression on his face was stern. Was it something she said? Something she did?

"It is not of honor to be here as a punishment. What honor do you have to hold for such a thing as detention, young lady?" he asked her. Ten-Ten's face fell in horror. She thought to herself that she would just jump out the window and end her life, but then realized that she was in the first floor building and that jumping out wouldn't kill her at all.

Bugger.

Ten-Ten couldn't respond. Instead she hung her head, not really sure of what to say. She doubted he would have wanted to hear her reply anyways as his attention was drawn to Neji.

"Make sure she finds her way into her room and that you tell her of the house rules, Neji. I do not like rats sniffing about in places they should not be…"

Ten-Ten felt like she was just slapped in the face with an iron palm. RATS? It appeared that Neji had noticed the sudden change in his school mate and immediately made a reply, just in case she had found words escape her lips in anger.

"Of course. I shall take her to her room and show her around long enough for her to know where to go and where not to go." he spoke, now taking her arm to pull her away from the room, "We shall be on our way now." and with that – Neji urged her to the door, pushing her gently to exit. Every part of her just wanted to go back to the man and give his face a good kick.

Old or not, no one had the right to call her – or anyone – a rat!

After she and Neji stepped outside with the doors firmly shut, Neji took her arm in a grip before pulling her beside him. He was literally dragging her along.

"Hey!" she protested before Neji snapped his head to the side to look her way.

"No shouting or yelling in the house. No running unless there's a fire. No vile use of language. No wandering in the hall or the mansion later than 9. No stealing of food from the kitchen." she heard him say through gritted teeth.

"Arm. Arm!" she stopped herself from walking before pulling her arm away from him. After she had freed herself, she gave it a massage. The spot he had gripped on was searing in pain. Neji had a grip just as powerful as Sakura's.

Neji stared at her, "What is the deal with your father?" she whispered angrily, keeping in mind that she wasn't allowed to yell. "Calling me a rat when I was so respectful to him! Now I see being a douche runs in the family." she continued on. Before she could even say anything else, Neji pushed her the wall. She gave a frightened squeal and pressed against the cold concrete as he moved in on her like a predator. She had obviously said something that struck a chord in him. She could see his white irises burn in anger.

Neji lifted a finger, a few inches from her face. For a moment Ten-Ten felt herself tense up in his glare. He was indeed, angry at her. Very angry.

They stood in the hall in silence. The frightened Ten-Ten pursing her lips and the furious Neji, looking down at her with a raised finger. Roughly around 5 minutes or so, he lowered it. This made her think he was over the immediate rise of his temper. She was wrong the minute he had finally spoken:

"That man is _not_ my father." was all there was to hear from him before he walked off. Ten-Ten was left in confusion…

There was obviously something she didn't know about the Hyuuga's and frankly, she was now too frightened to know what it was that she had missed.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N**: Here's Chapter 5. I didn't want to keep you guys waiting, cause I seriously think 2 years was enough. M Here it is! Enjoy!

_R&R please!_

**I DON'T OWN NARUTO!**

* * *

**Chapter 5**

Ten-Ten could still feel the burning sensation on her arm. 'How dare he just grab me like that…' she thought to herself, glaring daggers at the back of his pretty head. The hall was long and silent. For a family who liked to keep things traditional, their home was almost – _ALMOST_ – Americanized with its white marbled floors, top to bottom windows and fancy wallpaper in shades of white and cream.

After Neji's shocking outburst, they were silent. Ten-Ten wasn't one to fuss about pains, but that angry look on her face just didn't cut it. She obviously didn't like how she was handled by the Hyuuga class mate. They had finally reached the end of the hall where a single door stood. Ten-Ten stopped and followed him through it, only to be greeted by a completely new sight to behold. The moment she had stepped outside, she had to make a quick 360.

The female felt as though she had just stepped from one year to another. The very second she had stepped out of the doors, she was greeted by ancient Japan. It was an open spaced garden that lead to another part of the house. In the middle was a wide open space that served as a mini garden with a huge Sakura tree surrounded by white pebbles. Its pinkish blossoms falling slowly onto its feet in an almost melancholic manner. The floors were of well polished wood and from afar, she could see rows of paper sliding doors; very much like ancient Japan.

She loved it. It seemed so serene here, compared to the first part of the house where everything seemed so gloomy and dark, even with all the whites and the luxurious curtains as well as paintings.

"Eh…?" she murmured to herself in shock. Neji, silently removed his foot wear and slowly turned his head to look at her in her confused state.

"Oi." he called, immediately getting her attention. The moment their eyes have met, Neji nodded to her feet. "Shoes. Off." and with that being said, he walked on.

"W-Wait!" she called after him, hopping on one foot to peel her shoes off. He didn't seem to find it in his heart to wait for her, nor did he act like he cared if she fell behind. But as soon as she got her other shoe off, she ran after him – catching up to Neji with her eyes wondering around the area. She had wanted to talk about how much she adored the structure of this part of the house, but she had kept her mouth shut knowing she would not get a response.

Silently, he opened the sliding door, stepping in and slowly arranging his shoes near a few others. The lighting in this part of the house seemed to be done by lanterns, but Ten-Ten knew it had to be electricity that hid behind the white paper.

Neji pointed to the neat pile, "Your shoes should be left here." Neji told her. Ten-Ten gave a quick nod, "When leaving, pick them up and wear them only when you reach the main house." he gave her a brief instruction before walking off again. The moment she had laid her shoes down, she gave a quick glance around and followed him. It wasn't hard to keep up, in fact, he wasn't walking in a fast pace. She was just easily distracted with almost everything.

They were right about the Hyuuga's being one of the most noble of clans. She was starting to like the place and there was no need to be in denial of this. By the end of the hall, right in front of a circular window, Neji stood there with his back straight and hands behind him waiting for her. Ten-Ten stopped in front of him and waited for him to say anything. There were two doors; one on his left and the other on his right.

The male gestured to his left.

"This is where you can find your room." he told her, "I will wait for you so I can guide you through the important parts of this house. The kitchen, the bath house and the library." he told her before looking away. He was a few inches taller than she was so looking ahead for Neji was looking pass the top of her head. Ten-Ten allowed herself to gaze at the door before she turned her attention to Neji.

"Aren't you coming..?" she asked him in a low, unsure tone.

"I am not allowed in the female quarters." he simply stated. Ten-Ten gave a soft 'oh…' before pushing the door. To her shame, it didn't budge. She pushed again.

Nothing.

Neji was silently smirking as she gave soft grunts in her efforts to open the door. This entertained him, perhaps a little too much than he had expected. Finally, after trying and trying – Ten-Ten stopped and looked up at him.

"Do I need to chant something to open this damn thing?" she muttered, a little in the face. Neji's eyes squinted and he looked down at her.

"Did you try sliding it to the side?" he asked her, almost sarcastically, "And let me remind you, we do not curse in this house."

"Oh… Sliding…" she repeated before pushing the door to her left. Easily, the door had opened. Ten-Ten chuckled, "My mistake." she told herself, now slightly red around her cheeks in shame. "And I'll keep the cursing in mind. Sorry." she added before looking in. It seemed to be another part of the house.

"Jesus, how big is this house…?" she asked him before she bit her lip, "I mean… 'Cheese…us'."

Of course, it was to no surprise that he didn't answer her question directly. He only stood there, quiet and in his own little world. Ten-Ten made a face and shook her head briskly, trying hard not to stick her tongue out at him.

"Has anyone told you you'd make a fine statue? Maybe if you stand over at the garden, no one can mistake you for a human being." she had tried to be civil, but her inners were fighting to say something smart.

She was ignored by Neji and she rolled her eyes, "Hopeless. I'd rather talk to a brick wall." Ten-Ten mused before walking off.

It wasn't hard to find her room. In fact, it felt to her like an inn. The ones with the old sliding doors and tatami mats. The moment she found her room [it wasn't hard to miss considering a piece of paper was hanging right in front of the door for her to peel off] she slid it open only to find a low dresser, a single bed with folded comforters fresh out of the laundry, a few cotton kimono's that looked like pajamas to her and a lamp by the corner of the room. She took her time to check everything before putting her bag down inside the cabinet and walking over to the sliding door adjacent the entrance. It lead to the garden.

For a room that seemed so simple, the view was nice.

Knowing that Neji was waiting, she didn't want to waste too much time. She would unpack as soon as he had taken her around. She guessed that this was a place for their guests. It could only make sense knowing that the family was way too important to be sleeping in areas like these.

Happy with having familiarized herself with her room, Ten-Ten stepped out and walked back to where she had left Neji only to come across an old lady who was slowly walking her way with the use of a cane. Ten-Ten made way for her by pressing herself against the wall, only to be looked at in an odd way by the older lady.

"Who are you?" she asked Ten-Ten, "And why are you standing in front of my room?" she said, pointing her cane – almost poking the younger female on the stomach.

Ten-Ten gave a bow, "Gomenasai, Obachan…[I'm sorry, granny.]" she had to apologize before stepping to the side, allowing the older Hyuuga to enter.

"Aiya… Younger folk. Always getting in the way…" she heard the older woman say before she had disappeared behind the door of her room.

"I did apologize…" Ten-Ten muttered before walking back to Neji who had been waiting patiently, not even moving in his spot. She had the urge to ask him about the older and respectable Hyuuga woman who claimed to have a room in the guest area but had been too distracted in teasing him.

"Hua!" Ten-Ten pointed at his feet in shock, "Look! All around you there's dust and you haven't even moved a spot!" she of course was exaggerating but Neji didn't seem to catch her sense of humor, nor did he act like he enjoyed it. He only moved away from her, completely ignoring the female.

"Ah! You left marks on the floor! Look!" she continued to point to where he stood as she walked after him.

* * *

The tour around the house was brief. For someplace so big, she was only shown at least 4 places, like he had said. There were certain schedules she had to follow; like breakfast, lunch during the weekends and dinner. Apparently, she wasn't allowed to sneak food into her room nor would she have the chance to eat her midnight snacks which made her feel like she would lose at least a few pounds while she stayed here. She was asked not to talk to anyone she had bumped into, especially if it was someone from the main house.

"But what if I got lost..?" she asked him, now following him back to her quarters.

"If you keep to the areas I've shown you," he turned around to face her, "You won't be lost. It's that simple."

"But what if I do."

"It will not happen."

"Things are bound to happen. What if I saw an Obake [ghost] and ran off to some part of the house that I wasn't taken to and got lost!"

"There are no such things as Obake's."

"But what if there was?"

"Retrace your steps."

"And what if I couldn't remember because I was scared."

"That won't be my problem."

"But you said I was your responsibility. So if I got lost and found myself in an area I wasn't supposed to be in, you'd be in trouble – right?"

"Are you stupid?" he asked her, obviously – he had lost his patience with her.

"No! I'm asking you a simple and understandable question and you're being absolutely difficult!"

"You will not get lost because you will only go to the places I have taken you to."

"But what about the Obak-?"

"Woman!" he was close to shouting at her but he had composed himself, "Only children believe in Obake's! Shut up and go to your room!"

"I'm not a child to be told what to do!" she was close to yelling at him. She hated being treated like a child, and obviously – he didn't like it too.

"So if you're not a child, then why do you act like you believe in ghosts, silly girl!"

"Because this is a big house! And you never know if I do get lost or if there really is a Obak-!"

"Aiya!" Neji let out a exasperated groan, knocking his head back before looking down at her, "This conversation is over. I have things to do." Neji made a swift turn to leave her.

"O-Oi!" she called after him, but of course, she was ignored – yet again. Ten-Ten had the urge to kick something but stopped herself. "O-_baka_!" she had managed to say before she disappeared behind the doors to her quarters. She had to wash up for dinner and hope to god that things will go smoothly during her first night in the Hyuuga mansion.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: **Yes. You are free to bash my head in with words. I know I've been gone too long and I'm so very very very sorry you guys. Working and writing fanfiction? It's not easy. But I'll find my way around it. I'm not letting this go. And even though Neji [a sad day for us NejixTen fans and Neji fans] is not with us anymore, I'm STILL doing this because Neji deserves to be immortalized! So F you Kishi. T_T

I do not own Neji

I do not own Ten-Ten

**I do not own Naruto, because if I did - Neji would still be alive and Ten-Ten would have more screen time!**

**R&R** please and thank you!

* * *

**Chapter 6**

She had taken a shower. Ten-Ten was used to the old bath house ritual, but she had to make it quick. Dinner started around 7 and the last time she had checked, it was around 6. She was also given the last instructions to wear something that suited the place. She didn't have time to look through the box that was set on her bed. The Hyuuga family really did stick to weird rules, but then again – so did her family. Chinese families; they were just as odd as the Hyuuga's with beliefs and everyday living.

After her bath, she stepped out with her tiny wooden bucket and walked back to her little 'room'. It still felt like an inn to her. Did they usually keep their guests here? The moment she had opened the door into the female quarters, she was once again greeted by the same old lady she had met in the hall before. As usual, the female made way for the elder, sticking to the corner so she could pass freely. But just as the older woman had begun to walk pass her, she stopped, turning to look at the damp Ten-Ten with squinted vanilla colored eyes.

"Konbanw-."

"Eh?! Why are standing there naked?" the old woman had cut Ten-Ten off, pointing her cane at the female nearly whacking her by the side of her head.

"I just g-."

"Never mind! Put some clothes on!" she grumbled before shaking her head, "Young ones… So promiscuous." Ten-Ten heard the older woman mutter under her breath as she walked pass her. Ten-Ten tried her best not to grit her teeth too hard in fear that the elder one would hear. The moment the old woman had disappeared behind the door that lead to the hall, Ten-Ten growled audibly.

"For godsakes, what is wrong with this family?" she muttered to herself as she walked over to her door, sliding it open to change.

Ten-Ten sighed and made her way to her bed, seeing that the box was sitting there untouched. She had remembered coming back after being escorted [or rather, given a guide around the house] by Neji with the box sitting there waiting for her with a note that read: "Wear during Dinner."

She was curious, but she had no time to look inside seeing as she still had to bathe the day's hard work off and Dinner was set earlier than she had expected. Ten-Ten knelt over the bed with her eyes set on the box, taking the sides and lifting the top off to see nothing but a white kimono. This made her frown, peeling the material off the box and holding it up so she could see what was so special about it. The female felt like she was tricked by the special box. She thought it would at least be something made out of silk – but as her fingers rubbed itself against the kimono's material, she had found it to be the common material.

Common.

Commoner.

HA!

She had the need to throw it aside and stomp on the damn thing before she had changed her mind. Ten-Ten was afraid that if she didn't wear it, she would be denied of dinner and that was never good since she had a terrible appetite. Starving her would cause a riot, and that was something she didn't want to do in someone else's house no matter how much she had hated the people around it.

Walking down the finely lit halls of shimmering floors, Ten-Ten still felt the gloom. In her white kimono and bare feet, she looked about the place making sure that she was headed in the right direction. The difference in eating dinner in a normal person's house, one can always figure that a meal is being served in a certain direction of the home just by the sound of laughter and talking. But here, in the Hyuuga home; Ten-ten would stand quite still to listen but all there was to hear was complete silence and the sound of crickets singing their romantic sonnets to the night. It appeared to her that the silence made the home colder and unconsciously did the female wrap her arms around her. Now she had missed her family and the warmth that lingered there. The sound of her granny's radio and the outburst of her father's lame jokes._ That_ was a real family. But sadly, family was nowhere near where she was now.

* * *

It only took her a short time to notice that she had just walked pass the same stale painting she had seen before. Was she going in circles?

"Damn this house." She murmured softly as her eyebrows caved in. She was never really good with directions. Then, she could hear the distinct voices from above her in the second floor. Two male men talking to one another in hushed sibilant voices. The female stopped and thought to herself that eavesdropping was a bad idea, but the mentioning of Neji's name had made her think that perhaps today was a good day to go against what she thought. Standing very still, she listened in on the two men right above her, keeping sure that she wouldn't make a sound as not to be spotted.

"We can't really complain much. Let us look at Neji Hyuuga's situation." She heard the first voice say.

"He is still of this humble home and we cannot compare to him. You know that as much as I do."

"Yes yes. I do know. But think of what it is you say."

"To think before I speak is exactly what I do and if I say something, then you know I mean it by heart. I believe our time here is over and we should be on our way."

"Remember what our father said. We should stay and watch. We do not want trouble."

This conversation made no sense to her. She found herself frowning by each passing moment. What kind of situation did they mean when they mentioned Neji's name? Why were they even talking about leaving? Weren't they part of this house as much as the cousins were? There was so much she had to ask herself in her mind. So many questions. This family was truly the strangest, dullest and most probably the saddest she had ever come across. All they really need was a day in a spa with a couple of hippies. Deciding that staying around the area was probably a bad idea, Ten-ten took one step back into the gloomy hall before turning only to meet a hard surface. Startled, the brunette let out a soft squeaking sound with a hand on her chest to look up at what it was that stood behind her.

"What are you doing here?" a familiar voice asked her in a stern manner that allowed the female to frown upon the face of Neji Hyuuga. Ten-Ten's eyes diverted from his chest to his face the up on the ceiling, then back at him. Unconsciously, she pushed a strand of her hair away from her cheek to the back of her ear.

"I was lost…" she merely stated, a little ashamed to admit it herself.

"That shouldn't be the first time that's happened." he told her with a raised eyebrow as though mocking her.

Ten-Ten had the itching feeling of blowing him the raspberry but decided against it. She only folded her arms over her chest and sighed.

"It's not every day I get to walk in a big house." she told him with a snap. Neji only shook his head at her.

"If that's the case, then I am truly sorry." Neji said before turning his back at her, "Follow me." he added before walking off in the opposite direction.

Ten-Ten waited for a moment to see if the two strangers from above were still there. There was only silence.

SHIT.

What if they heard them talking as she did with their conversation when they spoke about Neji? She was going to get herself in trouble! She should have just continued walking!

"Neji!" she called after him as she tucked her hands under her arms, keeping up with his long strides. He remained silent as she caught up with him.

"So uh… Can I ask you something?" Ten-ten said, looking up at his stoic face.

"No." was his bored reply. Typical Hyuuga behavior.

"I'm going to ask you anyways." She shrugged before looking ahead of her, "How many are you in this house?"

"Why?"

"Let's just say I'm curious and since I'm staying here I might as wel-."

"You're here as a guest. We're not asking you to do an everyday head count."

"I don't feel like a guest at all. As the principal said, this is detention and I can tell you right now – it _does _feel like detention. I actually prefer cleaning the bathroom with a toothbrush." If feeling another person's expression on their face was a common thing than surely Ten-Ten could go on without having to feel like a freak. In this case however, she could almost hear the edges of his lips curve into a cruel smile.

"I'm glad you think that way." He told her.

"Stop smirking like I just gave you a damn compliment!"

"I can smirk whenever I wish, however I wish. And what did I say about cursing in the manor?" he turned his head to look at her. Now his expression had changed from a villain who just had a breakthrough in his evil plans to someone who just had a taste of bitter milk to linger on their tongue.

"I can curse whenever I wish, however I wish." she mimicked him as she raised her chin, turning her head away from him. He was faster than anyone she had ever seen. One moment he was walking beside her and the next, he was right in front of her, glowering angrily down at the brunette making her gasp.

"You will follow the rules of this house." His voice sounded threatening. Though Ten-Ten could feel a cold chill run down her spine but the brunette only stood there, shocked for one moment before she squinted her eyes at him with a smile to give.

"And if I don't..?"

"You will regret it."

"How?"

The male was silent now. He continued to glare down at her in his anger. She was sure that if she kept this up, she was going to be in so much trouble with Neji alone. After a few minutes of nothing but a silent argument between the two; Neji released a soft 'Hn' sound that seemed more like an angry grunt. Ten-Ten was to call him an angry bull. Maybe a gorilla was more appropriate. But she knew better than to continue pissing the male off so she went on following him, not knowing that her arms held her and her eyebrows had creased. This was not going to go well at all. If they thought that living with Neji was going to be a dream, this to her felt more like a nightmare. How she wished she was with Lee now. At least she could tolerate his enthusiastic behavior than be with a male who only knew how to make her skin crawl.

* * *

Ten-Ten remembered a time she had spent walking in the park at night. It was cold. It was quiet. She was alone. This was the time she had almost failed literature class and it was also the time she had just came to Japan. That situation was similar to what it was like walking with Neji. They made no exchange of glances, no words were spoken but only a cold and rather uncomfortable feeling grew and grew between them as the night went by. To think it was only a few minutes. Her sensei was right… When in torment, everything moved slower.

Neji stopped, looking over her head as to avoid eye contact. She was grateful that he did, but now she felt as though he was looking at a strand of her brown hair that could stick up. Because of this, she ran her palm over her head to smoothen it. If there was one person who shouldn't judge you – it was HIM. Not that he hadn't done that before, because she was well aware that he already did many times over in his head. Maybe even have a death scene somewhere in his imaginary. If that was so, she wouldn't be surprised. She had those too.

"Dinner." He told her.

Ten-ten finally looked up at him and checked for doors. After realizing that she was standing right beside a silk screen door that looked a lot like the interior wallpaper of the hall, Ten-ten chuckled.

"You guys really need to rethink your design. I think this is why I got lost in the first place!" she told the male before she turned around to open it but stopped to looked at Neji who was now walking away from her. Shocked, she called out to him.

"Hey! Where are you going?" she asked him. It wasn't as though she hoped that he would join her but it was natural for someone to think that, right? Neji turned to look at her for a minute with the lamp lighting the right side of his face. He didn't look as though the question was something he had heard today.

"Dinner." he replied.

"Well, dinner's right here. Behind this chameleon of a door." A finger was pointed to the cream colored sliding door.

"Your dinner is there. Mine is elsewhere." was his simple reply.

"Wha -? Oh come ON." she flailed her hands in the air as she spoke with a loud exhale, "I know we don't go together like peas and carrots but that doesn't mean you have to pull a depressed, 'I want to be alone' teenager just so you can avoid sitting in one table with me!"

He only stared at her in a dull 'Blink oh so very slowly' manner before he had turned around to walk off.

"Fine!" she hissed, "Go and starve for all I care! You big baby!"

The sound of a sharp snapping of the door made her jump before she looked in front of her to see a taller Hyuuga male look in her direction with his chin high but pale eyes shooting down at her in superiority. Ten-Ten fell silent. She was sure that her heart would fall out of her ass if it was even physically possible.

"We have been waiting." He spoke. Though his tones were soft, she could also hear a faint growl erupt from the back of his throat. Like a purring cat – though – it wasn't a pleased purring at all.

"Sorry!" she tried to smile but she looked more like she was in pain when she had done so, "I uh… I got a little lost." she explained. She only knew that he was ignoring her when he had stepped aside to make way for the brunette. In her mind, she had imagined herself running down the hall and screaming before flying over the wall like a rabid squirrel and disappearing from the human race. The table was filled with vanilla eyed members who turned their attention towards her to make her feel even more uncomfortable. She knew that the youngest was Hanabi, who was seated to the left of her father. Hinata was seated to his right and his stare was very much like Neji's. It was as though the eyes of the Hyuuga's could speak because right now. She could feel the ringing in her ears before she felt the burning. They weren't too many, thank God. But this all felt strange to her. It was like she was about to sit down for a business conference rather than dinner.

Approaching the only empty seat beside the silent Hinata who gave her a shy smile, Ten-Ten was about to pull it back when it was done for her. This made her retract her outstretched hand to press to her chest in her bewildered expression.

"T-Thank you." she managed to say before the seat was gently pushed behind her so she could settle down. Her eyes widened at the experience. It wasn't like she didn't enjoy it, but it just felt… Bizarre. Was it like this every time they ate dinner? Plates sparkling clean under a chandelier, table cloth made of velvet [they were obviously a fan of only the best material], bowls, glasses and other utensils – 'Jesus…' she thought to herself as she inspected the spoon for a moment. 'I feel like the empress of China.' With this in thought, her eyes looked over the other members who joined them for dinner.

Quiet.

It was very quiet. It would be so bad if someone ripped one out right now.

Soon, the food flowed in from the kitchen doors. Hyuuga's brought the platter in followed by the drinks and soup. Ten-Ten was trying to keep track of everything that was going on but seeing as how Hinata just sat there with her head slightly bowed to her plate and back straight, Ten-Ten looked away and followed. This was the first time she was going to eat with fancy fellow. Did she have to talk in a British accent or did that only happen in movies?

As soon as the plates have been set and cups have been filled with water, the 'waiters' [she'd hate to think them as servants. They were of the same family after all!] stood in a straight line before one had spoken up with a gentle: "Dinner is served." which was a cue for them to leave and the family to dig into their meals. Ten-ten started with her soup and by the looks and smell of it – it was DELICIOUS. She scanned the table for pepper only to fail.

"Hey, Hinata-chan…" she begun, trying to keep her tone down as not to bother everyone else. Hinata blinked and turned to look at her as though surprised that the brunette could even see her.

"I was wondering if there's pepper arou-?"

"Houji…" the voice of Hinata's father rung softly in the silent dining room. Ten-ten froze.

Oh shit. Did she just break one of the many commandments of the Hyuuga house?

Out of nowhere, a man had appeared behind him as he slowly stirred his soup.

"Bring pepper for our guest." came the order.

"Yes Hiashi-sama." was 'Houjis' reply. As he had moved to the side to fetch it, Ten-Ten chuckled before putting her hands on top of the table.

"Oh no – I only need to know where it is. I can get it myself!" she told Houji, who looked at her for a moment and then back at Hiashi.

"Let Houji handle it." Hiashi replied, taking his spoon from the bowl to take a silent sip from his silver spoon.

"But sir, I-." Ten-Ten didn't want to go against him, but she didn't want to be thought of someone who would take advantage of the member's kindness when she could just do things on her own.

"Eat. It's very impolite to sit there without touching your soup." the pepper had been placed beside her bowl and Houji moved away faster than he came. She didn't even have time to say thank you. She didn't even have time to say anything anymore as she decided that keeping her head down, saying nothing and eating was the only thing she could do. She only wanted Dinner to be done as soon as possible. Aside from the delicious food and absence of Neji from the table - everything here was just wrong. Very wrong.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: FINALLY AN UPDATE. **I'm so sorry for leaving you guys, again. I've been having trouble with my muses. Ever since the blow the mangga to Naruto had given me, I was stuck with what to do with this fanfict. But I decided, 'I started it. Whatthehell, I might as well just continue!' and so here it is!

Feel free to leave your angry 'What took you so long?!' comments and reviews when you're finished reading. I'll still love ya'll anyways!

Here's chapter 7! Enjoy!

**R&R please!**

**I don't own Naruto!**

* * *

**Chapter 7**

"So...? How'd it go?" the excitement in her voice was too hard to miss. Sakura had been leaving Ten-Ten with messages [all 50 of them] since she had arrived. She didn't know what to tell her, let alone, reach the expectations her friend had set for her.

"It's hard to explain." She started, "I'm not sure how to put it in a way where it sounds respectable, but this place just gives me the creeps." She had to whisper the last few words in reply. She was scared that maybe someone was listening in on her as she was listening in on the two strange voices that belonged to Hyuuga's a few hours ago.

She could hear Sakura shift on her bed as the soft ruffling of the blankets were heard in the background.

"I'm sure that's just you getting used to the new place!" Sakura replied.

Ten-Ten was sitting on the futon with her legs crossed and her back on the wall. The windows were left open. She could see the light of the moon taking a peek at her from behind the dark clouds like a child playing hide-and-seek with earth herself.

After having spent an hour in the silence of dinner with the Hyuuga family, Ten-Ten was left distraught for many reasons. One being that there seemed to be a favoritism in the family tree. Though she was concentrated on eating the main course of tonight's meal, she couldn't help but notice that a few Hyuuga eyed members have been standing behind Hiashi with their hands behind their backs. With every meal finished, they had taken the plate away from the head of family's table and into a door that she was sure lead to the kitchen area.

Was this the Japanese tradition or was she just a little homesick? Didn't all members of the family sit in one table?

And another thought that had bothered her: Where was Neji? Wasn't he suppose to be in the gathering of fine dining with his family? The rest of the night was just filled with so many questions left unanswered.

"There's something strange going on with the family. I don't understand their customs at all…" Ten-Ten finally spoke as she took a strand of her hair to tug at it in thought. Her face was contorted in a frown.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean – during dinner…" Ten-Ten begun, "Neji wasn't there. He skipped dinner."

"Well maybe he just thought that he didn't want to sit in one table with you, haven't you thought of that?"

"I have – but still… Isn't that a little childish, even for Neji Hyuuga?"

"Why do you sound like you're concerned about him?" she knew right from the tone of her voice that Sakura was smirking on the other end of the line. Ten-Ten released an exasperated groan and flopped on her side to lay down. Her brown hair sprawled on the white sheets.

"I hate having to be a reason for someone to starve!"

"You _are_ concerned! Oh my g-."

"Shut up! I am _not _concerned!" she thought about it for a moment before adding a hesitated, "Well, maybe I am but that doesn't mean I actually care for him."

That's when Sakura chuckled. It was a amused chuckle. Something that wasn't so common from Haruno Sakura. But for every time she had indeed chuckled like a evil cartoon character, Ten-Ten knew she was thinking about something she shouldn't be thinking of.

"Whatever it is that's going on in your head, shove it right back down the darkest corner of your cranium." came the husky snarl of Ten-Ten as she grumbled on the phone.

"I get it. You feel guilty-."

"My point exactly." Ten-Ten then shot up from her bed to look outside the window, "Or maybe he's just doing this on purpose to get back at me!"

Why haven't she thought of that before?!

"Ten-Ten…" Sakura laughed out her name, "You're getting obsessed with Neji."

"No I am _not_." did it seem that way though? It wasn't like he was her favorite person in the world at all. When you start to hate someone, you just can't help but think about them from time to time and end up hating the fact that you're guilty about giving them free space in your head.

Oh god. He really was doing this on purpose, wasn't he?! HELL. He was Hyuuga Neji, after all!

With her mind racing, Ten-Ten had not known she was already getting into her bad habit of nail biting. She has always been scolded about it, but it was something that even her mother couldn't rid her daughter of. Every time the brunette would start over thinking of things, she would certainly start nibbling on a nail — most especially, her right thumb. It wasn't nervousness, or maybe it was and she couldn't agree to the obvious truth, but it was more of an immediate response to excessive thinking. If it wasn't for Sakura's voice constantly calling her name from the phone, she wouldn't have stopped.

"You're biting your nails. Stop it."

"I'm not."

"You know, you've been saying that a lot."

"Been saying _what_ a lot?" the brunettes eyebrows perked up in question as she had slowly lowered her hand from her mouth to stop herself from chewing her thumb off.

"The word 'No'… You've been saying that a lot." Sakura pointed out in a stern tone as though this displeased her a lot. Ten-ten let a sharp scoff go from her throat as she threw her hand to the side. Her head had tilted to the left to stare out the window.

"No, I have not!" was her defensive retort allowing Sakura to scoff back at her in disbelief.

"You _just _did it… Again."

"Shut up. Go to sleep." Ten-Ten was in no mood to defend herself even though that was all she could ever do ever since she had been sent to Japan for her education. Defending herself was the one thing she knew best to do, other than spending her time against a wall and climbing it. Why was it now, of all times, she had been thinking about home.

"If only mother was here. I'm sure she'd know what to say to make it better." Those words had slipped from her mouth in a thoughtful and longing whisper before she could even stop them. She had slapped her palm on her forehead and had prayed her friend had not heard it.

"What was that?" unfortunately, that question itself was enough to say that she had indeed heard her words.

"Nothing." Ten-Ten said immediately, "I said go to sleep." and that was all Sakura had heard, before the other end had gone on dead as the night itself.

* * *

She could hardly sleep. Catching Z's in a place she wasn't comfortable in was difficult. She knew when she had woken up in the morning; she would face a family that was strange beyond comprehension. Ten-Ten was trying to reason with what it was she had been thinking about. Yes, the Hyuuga's were indeed strange – but the reason was clear to her. They had an image to keep. The children had been raised in the belief that control and discipline was all there was to being respected; and because of the name they have been blessed with, they have been born into a home were being a child wasn't even allowed.

It must have been that way since they had broken through the Hyuuga mother's womb.

The moment the sun says hello, they had to speak in a mobile tone. Eat with a spoon. Never laugh.

Ten-Ten shut her eyes tightly and groaned as she turned in her bed, picking up the pillow under her head to slam against her face in hopes she would get some sleep. But her mind was drowning with the disturbing images of babies already walking and talking. When she had finally gotten some sleep, she had dreamed that she was sitting at a long table. So long that she could hardly see the end of it. The table itself was littered with papers. She wasn't sure what it was, but it looked like something a professional business man or woman would have in her home. Stacks of brown paper atop silver trays. Glasses filled with ink. She looked around her, and all she could see were babies wearing tuxedos asking to pass the plate or take a long sip of the black goo she knew to be ink.

A heavy banging on wood had woken her from the nightmare and she sat up straight. Her hair was a mess of brown indicating that she had been tossing in her sleep. With that kind of dream, she knew that it wasn't avoidable. For a moment, she thought that she was still dreaming – but a familiar male voice had broken through the door and she murmured to herself; 'I'm not dreaming. I'm still in that nightmare with a big baby pounding on my door.'

"It is morning. Come out." Neji's voice called to her in that bored tone of his. Ten-Ten's eyes squinted as she tried to locate the door that he had stood in front of, but found it hard to find because of the darkness that wrapped itself around the room she resided in.

Fuck.

What time was it?

"It's not even dawn yet!" came her sleepy voice. It sounded weaker than she had planned it to be, but she lacked sleep and she was dying to get back to bed.

"Yes, it is. Do not complain."

_'ARGH.' _this annoyed voice of hers has been playing in her mind far too much.

"I'm not complain—."

"You either eat your breakfast now, or you starve till later. The choice is yours." and that's where she had heard the soft shuffling of feet move away from her room. The brunette yawned and reached to her hair and scratched furiously at her scalp. She was being controlled by the Hyuuga male. What else could she do? She couldn't choose to starve.

Throwing herself back on the bed, Ten-Ten rolled on her stomach and pushed herself from the bed so she was on all fours. Eyes closed, she started to feel her way around the room before she had shuffled over to the door, dangerously, fingers trying to find a way to slide open the door. The moment she had slid the door open for her escape from the dark, she slowly sat down on her folded legs before she hoisted herself up on her feet. Breakfast with the Hyuuga's. What time was it, even? She had no clue. All she knew was, this was far too early to be nibbling on goods.

The moment she had walked in the dimly lit halls once again, a deep dark hole of depression was dug into her stomach. She had not forgotten her way, but she dreaded having to spend a morning meal with the family of Hyuuga's once again. Just at that moment where she had approached the dinning area, she found herself standing there and listening in on voices that might be inside. To her relief, there was no one there. No voice. No sound of any sort. She couldn't help but smile sleepily before she had opened the door to only flinch at the sight of pajama wearing members of the family. They all looked so decent and regal even in their nighties and there she was, standing there with wide eyes at Hinata and the rest of the folk; sitting all prim and proper with their eyes staring her way.

"Good morning, Ten-Ten…" came a soft but cold voice from the corner. Instinctively, her head had turned to look at the man that has greeted her. It was Neji's father. He was wearing a white business suit with a cup of tea in hand and a roll of what appeared to be the morning's newspaper. Walking to his seat, he had settled himself properly and did not even try to look up and meet her shocked gaze as he unrolled the paper and divide this so he could start reading.

"Ah — good morning, sir!" she tried to be cheerful, but she was taken back by his presence, once again putting her in a really uncomfortable position.

"I thought you had forgotten to great your host whilst you stand there looking like a lost pup with terrible morning hair." The man had spoken up once again, his eyes darting from left to right as he had read through the first page of the paper. When he had mentioned her hair, Ten-Ten's hand shot up from beside her to pat her mane. Good god, it really was a mess! She had tried to run her fingers through her hair in a sad attempt to fix it, but it was pointless. She knew her hair was as stubborn as she was in the morning.

Moments after, he had lifted those cold white optics to look at the brunette who was finding it really difficult to move from where she had stood. "Close the door, Ten-Ten. The cold is coming in from behind you." It didn't sound like a request, but rather, it sounded like an order. One of which she couldn't dare disobey.

"Of course!" turning around, she had slowly shut the door before she had shuffled towards her seat. Her eyes dropped to her lap the moment she had sat herself down, not wanting to see any of the members look at her at such an early morning. But something had made her avert her eyes upwards. She searched for Neji once again, but he wasn't even there.

"I have never asked you about your family, Ten-Ten." Hiashi begun, turning the page of the paper silently as she had turned her head to look at the suited man.

"My family, sir..?" she croaked, taken back by the sudden subject of her kin.

"I believe I have spoken clearly." he said, lifting those eyes from the page to shoot her a cold stare. Ten-Ten could feel her fingers clutch at the material of her pajama's before she had loosened them once again. This man was just as terrible as Neji. Being an asshole must run in the family then.

"No you haven't, sir." This reply had made Hiashi raise his eyebrow at her before she had realized that her words could be taken the wrong way. She then rephrased in panic with a quick, "I mean – You haven't asked about my family, sir. Not that you didn't sound clear or anything, I mean – you did sound clear. I was just—." she swallowed. Hard. The look he was giving her was something her father would shoot towards her during a meal when she had dropped a curse word. "—I was confused."

Probably not the right way to end her sentence. She was fighting the need to slap herself in the face for even stuttering.

"Do you get confused many times in a day?" he asked her in a low tuned tone. My god he looked so scary!

"…Not really."

"You don't sound too confident with your reply." he informed her, to which she had then started laughing out of fright. Hiashi was as close to the winter winds as she could possibly imagine. With how he stared at her in what appeared to be in disgust, she could only hope it was her hair that irked him and not how she was acting. But knowing the Hyuuga's, she knew that it was everything about her that made the man act like some kind of angry emperor towards a incompetent slave. In her defeated silence, Hiashi had started talking once again.

"Tell me of your family." And to this, Ten-Ten had bit down on her lip to try and stop herself from saying anything rude. She had wanted to say 'why, so you can label me?' but then again she knew that it would probably get her in deep trouble so she had decided to give the man his answer and get going after she had eaten her meal.

"There's not much to tell, sir." she told him in a uninterested tone. She looked to Hinata who was far too busy looking at the wall behind Ten-Ten's head. She hoped it was the wall she was looking at and not the birds nest that sat on her head.

"I'm sure you're just being modest…" Hiashi countered, dropping a hand to his cup to take into his grasp and lifting this to his lips for a long sip.

"Well, we're not as well off as your family is, that I'm sure." Ten-Ten started, "My mom's a cook and my dad's an engineer."

"An engineer?" asked Hiashi. His tone sounded as though he was impressed. Did she do something right this time?

"Yes sir. He helps design homes in China." she told him, trying not to sound too proud.

"Yet, your family isn't well off?"

"When compared to yours, no sir."

"Our family holds no comparison to others so it is rather unfair that you would think there is one clan out there that can hold a candle to our wealth and greatness."

Oh geeze. The rolling of eyes would have been applicable at that moment but she fought it off.

"Why did you choose to accept your education away from your homeland?" he asked her. She had opened her mouth to say something crude, but she was spared from getting her tongue cut out from her mouth as the doors to the kitchen was opened. Food was now being served and it had surprised her that she was given a good amount of bacon, eggs, toast and a cup of hot chocolate. It wouldn't be so grand if it wasn't for the fancy plate and placement of such a meal.

"You've yet to answer my question." He reminded her after she had fallen silent from spying the crunchy goodness that sat in front of her.

"I prefer not to talk about it, sir." she told him. She would have given herself a pat in the back then, proceed to pat herself behind her head for being an idiot. Of course she was afraid that her choice of words wouldn't be something he would be pleased to hear as she denied him any answer to the question he had given her — but Ten-Ten was Ten-Ten, and if she didn't want to tell anyone of anything; it would never happen.

Hiashi's lips had upturned into a smile. No. Not a smile. A cold smirk.

"You must have either a great reason or a embarrassing one to choose and hide such an information."

"It's called respect to my elders decision, sir. That's how I was raised."

The reply she had given sounded so angry to her that she had not even thought of it when she had allowed the very words to slip pass her mouth. Hearing herself talk like that, however, made her cringe. She didn't like having to sound so cross towards the man who offered her his home and allowed her to eat with his family.

'This is it.' She told herself, 'This is where I'm going to die. I'm going to be Hyuuga delicacy. I'm going to be dead and no one's going to care.'

"The fire you have for your family's choice." Hiashi started, making Ten-Ten close her eyes tightly, waiting for his damaging blow, "It's admirable." And this had made her look up at the man immediately. She almost fell dizzy for even spinning her head so quick towards the suited Hyuuga man who sat there, finishing his drink with a graceful motion of his arm. She sat there, dumfounded and again in shock. She didn't even know what to say.

"Well then, enjoy your breakfast." He stood from his seat, making Hinata and Hanabi turn to look at the man before they had lowered their heads in respect. He eyed Ten-Ten for a moment before he had tucked the newspaper under his arm and left the room.

Maybe the Hyuuga's weren't so bad after all…


End file.
